


Scion

by assortedpencils, CaffeinatedSunshine



Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Feelings are hard and relationships are harder, God General!Guy, Luke being the Scion actually means something, Original!Luke, a religious what-if AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-16
Updated: 2021-01-03
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:16:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 141,613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21817246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/assortedpencils/pseuds/assortedpencils, https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaffeinatedSunshine/pseuds/CaffeinatedSunshine
Summary: The Order of Lorelei was founded to uphold the Score and execute Lorelei's will. Faithfully, for two thousand years, it has carried on that mission without fail. When Lorelei's miracle is born into the world, they fight to protect him so that he may realize his fate and bring to all prosperity.To question is heresy. You must obey.
Relationships: Guy Cecil & Luke fon Fabre & Natalia Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, Luke fon Fabre/Natalia Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, Tear Grants & Natalia Kimlasca-Lanvaldear
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all, long time no see. This AU was inspired after I watched a mini documentary about the Kumari Goddesses in Nepal (really fascinating, definitely recommend). It got me thinking how things would change if Luke being the 'Scion of Lorelei' was treated as a huge deal, and how his status as Scion would alter the relationships and events around him. I'd been slowly mulling this setting over for a few years, and the lovely and talented CaffeinatedSunshine agreed to help me write this thing out. I wouldn't be posting if not for her. Lots of love to you, darling.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy it!

_ND 2000: In Kimlasca shall be born one who inherits the power of Lorelei. He will be a boy of royal blood with hair of red. He shall be called The Light of the Sacred Flame, and he will lead Kimlasca-Lanvaldear to new prosperity._

—

“No! You can’t take him! I won’t let you take him!” Lady Susanne cried out in a shrill, raspy voice. The young Duchess of Fabre manor clutched her newborn boy tightly to her breast, shaking in fear as a pair of Oracle Knights blocked the doors to her bedchamber. 

Behind them stood the Grand Maestro of the Order, Mohs, a short and portly man with a sour face. He had a general look of irritation in his expression as he spoke, “It is Lorelei’s will, my dear Lady, and Fon Master Evenos has given the order. The child must be brought to the cathedral. The Score demands it so.”

“You have some nerve!” The Duke had risen from his bedside perch, standing between his family and the unwelcome invaders. “You have no right to—“

“Oh, but I have every right, Duke Fabre,” Mohs cut him off. “The Score _must_ be fulfilled. To oppose is heresy, and heresy won’t look good for Kimlasca’s future with Daath.”

Duke Fabre grit his teeth. “This is _my son!_ ”

“Lorelei’s,” Mohs corrected callously, “and I gave you the option to do this easily. Now we’re past that, and we’re wasting time. Hurry it up.”

At the snap of his fingers, the two Oracle Knights by the door began to approach the large bed where Susanne lay cowering. 

“Crymson…! Crymson, please! Please!” Her whimpers turned into desperate sobs as she begged for her husband to _do_ something to stop them. When he didn’t, and stepped to the side to allow the Knights past, she let out a horrified gasp as tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Hand him over,” one of the knights demanded, reaching out to take the baby from her.

“No! N-no! No, no! No!” Her voice escalated in volume. “Leave him alone! Lea- LEAVE!” she screamed as the second knight came around from behind and grabbed her by the shoulders. Now temporarily immobilized and distracted, the first knight used this opportunity to wrest the infant free from her grasp.

Instinct drove the Duchess into hysteria. She lashed out wildly, grabbing hold of the first knight’s sleeve while attempting to claw at his arm with her nails. This caught the knight by surprise and he lurched backwards hoping to shake her off, but it resulted in dragging the duchess out of bed and onto the floor.

“G-Get off!” He grunted. When the Duchess didn’t heed him, and instead tried to bite him, the second knight came to his defense.

“Wench! Stand down!” The second knight kicked at her, his armored boot colliding with her abdomen.

“SUSANNE!” The Duke cried out as his wife spit up before collapsing. A red stain formed on her nightgown and began to spread. 

He was a seasoned general, accustomed to every kind of violence imaginable, but for the first time in as long as he could remember, the sight of blood sickened and filled him with terror.

He darted forward only to be held back by the second knight, who went so far as to draw his blade to keep him at a distance. “Let me through! She needs medical attention!” He may be losing his son to the Score but _dammit_ he was not going to lose his wife, too!

“Sir, we have the child,” the first knight stated as he recomposed himself, cradling the baby within the crook of his arm.

“Good, let us return to Daath,” Mohs instructed. With that, the second knight sheathed his sword and allowed Duke Fabre to finally pass.

Crymson fell to his knees and gathered his indisposed wife up into his arms. She was breathing shallowly, eyes glazed and unable to look at just one thing. A hand to her forehead revealed a spike in temperature, and the stain on her nightgown grew worryingly large.

“D-Doctor! I need a doctor! Get a doctor here! Now!” He barked out, rocking Susanne back and forth. “It’ll be okay, it’ll be okay, you’ll be okay,” he whispered over and over. 

If he said it enough, perhaps he’ll eventually believe it.

—

Mohs held his head up high as he and the Oracle Knights walked their way back towards the entrance of the manor. Finally, Mohs thought to himself, all this nasty business can be concluded. He never understood why people would fight against fate, against the Score that promised them all a future of prosperity and wellbeing. Well, that’s what they had special operations for. 

Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at the now fussing baby boy with a slight frown. This child, Luke, was destined for _great_ things. His parents were foolish to think they could have stopped him from fulfilling his fate.

Mohs came to an abrupt halt upon finding the main doorway blocked behind a line of White Knights—the Fabre’s personal and elite guards—and the manor’s steward, Ramdas. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Out of the way!”

Ramdas gestured to the crying bundle within the first Oracle Knight’s arm. “I insist that you stop immediately and return baby Luke to his mother and father!”

“Sir,” the second Oracle Knight spoke up, his hand making a grab for his sword, “may I dispatch of him?”

“Now, now. There’s hopefully no need for that,” Mohs said as he eyed the steward up and down.

“You’re out of your minds if you think I will just stand aside and let you monsters _steal_ my Lady’s only son!”

Mohs narrowed his gaze at Ramdas. “I don’t expect a lowly _steward_ to recognize Lorelei’s miracle to us all. If you fail to move out of our way, there will be consequences.” 

The White Knights readied their halberds for a potential fight, but none made any moves forward. Perhaps there were reasonable men amongst the White Knights’ ranks after all, Mohs thought.

“To attack the Oracle Knights is to attack the Order of Lorelei itself,” he started, pacing around the foyer. Those words alone caused some of the White Knights to falter. Smirking, he doubled down and recycled his earlier threat. “Do not interfere with the Order’s affairs. Otherwise, Kimlasca-Lanvaldear will be forced to pay dearly for heresy!”

The thinly veiled threat was well received. White Knights lowered their weapons and withdrew from their tactical position, leaving Ramdas standing alone before him. The house steward spewed curses at the White Knights for their cowardice, holding his fists up towards the Oracle Knights to engage in fisticuffs if necessary. Mohs had to admit that he admired the man’s determination, however misguided it may be.

The second Oracle Knight approached and used the pommel of his sword to strike. Ramdas hit the ground hard, and the man moaned out in pain, unable to move.

With nothing further in their way, Mohs and the Oracle Knights pressed forward, stepping out into the giant, sprawling metropolis of Baticul. Elevator platforms and cable cars brought the esteemed members of the Order down from the top tier to the city’s port, where a large Daathic vessel awaited them.

Luke’s continuous cries only grew louder, and they wore down on Mohs’ last good nerve. He turned to the Knight holding him and hissed, “Take him to a cabin and shut him up!” 

The Knight stammered for a moment, taken aback, but he saluted and hurried off, the sound of crying disappearing into the hold of the ship.

Mohs exhaled sharply and relished in the resulting silence, taking a moment to rub his temples in small circles. If only the members of Fabre manor had been more… receptive to Evenos’ orders, then he wouldn’t be dealing with this terrible headache.

“Sir, we’re ready to depart!” A sailor had called out from the upper deck.

“Good. And send a ciphered message via pigeon to Daath that we’ve secured the gift. Evenos will want to prepare the Order for the Scion’s arrival.”

“Sir!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~I'm so sorry, Susanne...~~


	2. First Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and happy winter holidays <3

_ND 2007, Rem Decan_

The sun shined brightly that early morning in Baticul, with not a cloud in the sky to obscure its light. Crisp winter air felt refreshingly brisk, and the layer of frost coating windows and roof tiles began to melt away while the manor’s staff started their daily routines.

Maids began the wash, switched the linens, swept, mopped, and dusted. Guards rotated shifts, relieving tired men who’d been standing at their post all night long. And there were the servants who ran errands, leaving the estate into the city for supplies.

Ramdas oversaw the operation every morning, priding himself in the efficiency he’d managed to create over the years. By the time the Princess was due to arrive for her appointment with the Duke and Duchess, a hot breakfast will be waiting for them in the drawing room.

As the house steward whistled a soft, jaunty tune to himself, the Duke entered the foyer with a guard to one side, and a servant struggling to haul a cumbersome piece of luggage on the other.

“There’s been a change of plans,” Duke Fabre announced as he walked up to Ramdas. “I’m needed in Belkend on urgent matters.”

“Her highness will be most disappointed,” Ramdas warned. “She’s been looking forward to this trip for weeks.”

“Natalia is a big girl, she needs to get used to some disappointment,” he stated with a shake of his head. “Who knows, perhaps this’ll finally force Susanne out of bed.”

“Sir!” Ramdas gasped in admonishment.

“A joke,”

“In poor taste,”

Crymson didn’t say anything in response.

After a tense moment of silence between the two, the Duke pushed past, walking by the two rows of maids stationed at the doorway, who bowed down to him as he left. When Crymson was gone, Ramdas exhaled slowly and pinched the bridge of his nose. The Duke and Duchess were never going to forgive one another.

—

Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear arrived at the manor exactly at eight o’clock that morning. She stepped inside and was greeted by the two rows of tall and beautiful maids bowing down to her. The young girl’s gaze lingered on one, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she’d be that beautiful one day, too.

“Your highness, it’s impolite to stare,” Natalia’s nanny, Maggie, whispered from behind her. The older woman kept her greying blonde hair tied back tightly in a bun, and she wore a plain white frock with an apron overtop. Natalia was downright colorful by comparison, as she donned a frilly pink and gold dress that required layers upon layers of petticoats.

Ramdas took notice of Natalia’s embellished garb, and he bowed to the little girl as well. “Why, don’t you look marvelous today, princess.”

“Thank you.” Natalia grabbed at her skirt and curtsied back to him, just as she’d been taught. “Is Auntie and Uncle ready?”

“Oh, I’m afraid your Uncle has been called away on urgent matters in Belkend,” he broke the news to her, and Natalia’s face fell just as he predicted it would.

“I—I see…” Natalia stammered, trying to mask her disappointment. “Does this mean the trip is canceled?”

Ramdas smiled at the young girl. “I sent a message to your father immediately after the Duke’s departure explaining the situation. You’ll be allowed to travel with your nanny and an accompaniment of White Knights in the Duke’s stead.”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “You mean it?!”

“Of cou-“ Ramdas grunted as Natalia hugged onto him tightly.

“Princess!” Maggie protested, but Natalia paid no heed.

“Thank you! Thank you, thank you!” She cried out excitedly.

“You’re quite welcome,” Ramdas chuckled as he gently pried her off of him. “You’re keeping your aunt waiting.”

“Right.” Natalia let go and took a moment to fix her crooked buttons and sash. “Ahem, you’re dismissed.”

And with that, Natalia headed off to the drawing room where her aunt would be waiting for her.

—

“Happy early birthday, dear,” Susanne said, handing over a neatly wrapped, medium-sized gift to her young niece. 

The princess’ eyes sparkled upon seeing the shiny wrapping paper that covered the box, and the ribbon tied into a large bow on top. Gingerly, she accepted the package into her hands, and she continued to marvel her gift from this new up-close angle.

“Thank you, Auntie,” Natalia said, taking a moment to give it a very gentle shake. It wasn’t all that heavy, nor was there much noise to be heard beyond the rustling of some tissue paper. A new court dress, most likely. “May I please open it?”

“Why don’t you open it once you’re on your ship?” Susanne suggested. “It will provide you with some excitement along the journey. It does take three whole days to make it to Daath.”

“Can’t you come with me?” Natalia pleaded one last time, reaching for her aunt’s hand. Susanne reflexively pulled away. Color drained from her face and she began to feel unwell. “Please, Auntie?”

“I’m sorry, Natalia. Visiting Daath is…” Painful. Depressing. A reminder.

“Princess, please, stop pestering your aunt!” Maggie scolded her before turning her sights to the Duchess. “My Lady, are you alright?”

Susanne used a handkerchief to dab away a few beads of cold sweat that had formed. “Just feeling a bit faint. I’ll be alright,” she lied, putting on a hollow facade for the both of them. “Perhaps next time, Natalia. Now, you better head to the port before you miss your ship. You don’t want to keep Luke waiting, do you?”

Natalia pouted ever so slightly, not pleased with that answer, but her disappointment was short lived after hearing her cousin’s name. She’d heard _so much_ about him all her life, and finally, she was getting the opportunity to meet him! Excitement crept back into the forefront of her mind and a wide grin spread across her face. 

“We’ll be going, then!” Natalia curtsied to her aunt a bit awkwardly with the package still in her arms before she dashed off to the front entryway of the manor.

“Please excuse us,” Maggie said, giving the Duchess a proper bow before following after her young charge.

—

Natalia went from excited to downright giddy as she, her nanny, and a small accompaniment of White Knights made their way through the city of Baticul. Natalia had lived within this city her entire life, but never before had she been given this much freedom to actually see it. The elevator platforms and cable cars fascinated the young girl, and she waved to the commoners as they walked past. 

She skipped, zigged, zagged, and spun in circles along their walk, much to the detriment of her nanny. 

“Oh how I miss the days you were small enough to carry,” Maggie bemoaned to herself, holding onto the girl’s present rather tightly. This carefree behavior meant that a _long_ talk was needed on etiquette before they even set foot within Daath’s cathedral.

—

“There we are, your highness,” a White Knight said as he helped the young princess down off the gangway and onto the deck of their ship.

“Thank you,” she beamed up at the knight before hurrying over to her nanny’s side. The whole deck of the ship seemed to vibrate as the engines hummed to life, and Natalia watched in amazement as the ship moved away from the dock and started to head out to sea.

It astounded her that Baticul, a city so large, could look so small the further away they got.

Her line of thinking was cut off when she felt Maggie’s hand atop the crown of her head.

“Before we arrive within the holy city of Daath, princess, we need to go over some rules so you behave properly while in the presence of your cousin.” 

Natalia’s joy ebbed.

“Rules?”

“Yes, rules,” Her nanny confirmed. “Your cousin is a very important person, and the people of Daath will not be pleased if you misbehave.”

“What if the rules don’t make sense?” Natalia challenged.

“Many rules don’t make sense, your highness. But we have to follow them anyways, because that’s what being a good girl means. And you’re a _very_ good girl, right?”

Natalia nodded silently.

“That’s what I like to see. Now, let’s get settled in and we can go over the rules.” 

She guided the princess off of the main deck and over to their cabin, where they’d be spending the next three days. Once their belongings had been properly stored into trunks and wardrobes, Maggie helped set Natalia down onto the edge of the bed.

“First and foremost,” Maggie started, clasping her hands behind her back, “My princess, has your family told you _why_ your cousin is so special?”

“Luke is the Light of the Sacred Flame,” Natalia recited dutifully. “Father says that he is the sigh-on of Lorelei, and that means he’s very important. More important than the Fon Master. And it means that Kimlasca is special to Lorelei because Luke was born there.”

Of course no one had bothered to tell Natalia what all that actually meant, her nanny gathered. Hm, so a theology lesson needed to come first before the manners lesson.

“Scion, s-c-i-o-n,” she corrected. “It means… child. Your cousin is Lorelei’s child; a human being blessed to carry Lorelei’s divine powers and knowledge. Some even say that your cousin _is_ Lorelei, reborn in a human body. Though I don’t think that’s the case, personally,” she quipped. “The Maestros and Fon Master claim that the scion’s birth is a sign that we will all be rewarded for our faith in the Score. So, now you can understand and appreciate just how important your cousin is, and know that all these rules are in place for a reason.”

“Yes. Luke is very important,” Natalia repeated.

“Good. Now, first rule: you are not allowed to touch your cousin.”

“What? Why?” Natalia demanded, hurt evident on her face.

Her nanny hummed—this would be so much easier if the Duchess hadn’t taken Natalia under her wing so much, especially after the Queen’s death (Lorelei rest her soul). Her affection for Natalia was going to spoil the girl rotten.

“He is too important to be touched,” she tried to explain.

“But scion or not, he’s just a little boy!” Natalia argued, hopping off of the bed to stand defiantly in front of her nanny. “He’s younger than I am, and he’s my cousin! Why can’t I hug him or hold his hand?”

Maggie knelt down and took hold of the young girl’s hands. “Please, your highness. Take a moment to think about all of the things you touch everyday—and how dirty your hands get. Now, I want you to think of your cousin as a delicate, beautiful white cloth that everyone loves to look at. If you were to touch him with dirty hands, he will no longer be clean and pure.”

“…Oh,” Natalia said quietly, looking down at her hands. They _looked_ clean, and she could always just wash her hands before she touched Luke. But if she still wasn’t allowed to touch him then… did that mean there was something wrong with her? Was she dirty?

“That’s my smart girl,” Maggie chuckled, seeing things click and fall into place. “So, what’s the first rule?”

“Don’t touch Luke.”

“Good girl. Now, for the second rule,” she went on to say as she released the princess’ hands from her grasp. “You are his family, so that entitles you to special privileges that most people don’t get to enjoy, so be sure to cherish them. As his family, you are allowed to speak openly and freely with him, but—and I cannot stress this enough—only if he speaks to you first. The Maestros in Daath are _very_ strict about this rule, and princess or no, you will get in trouble if you carelessly address his Holiness without permission.”

She could see the frustration and confusion building up in Natalia’s expression, and she couldn’t blame the child. Daath was incredibly controlling to begin with, but ever since the Order absconded with the holy scion, it seemed as if they doubled down on their stances. How long had it been since the cathedral doors were opened to the public? She was as devout as the next person, sure, but even she had to admit that the Order seemed to be twisting itself into something unfavorable.

“Yes, nanny. I’ll be good, I promise.”

“That’s so wonderful to hear, I am so happy, your highness. Now,” she stepped off to the side to rummage through the trunk at the foot of the bed, “if I remember correctly, you have a gift from your aunt that still needs to be opened.”

She pulled out the neatly wrapped gift box and handed it off to the young girl.

Natalia’s worries were temporarily allayed. “Can I really open it?”

“Of course, your aunt said so.”

Natalia tried to open her present as slowly as possible, not wanting to be scolded for greedy behavior. Setting aside the beautiful wrapping paper and colorful bow (which she went so far as to fold), she lifted the lid off the box and peered inside.

A new dress lay under puffs of tissue paper, along with a matching pair of gloves and a green ribbon headband. She reached out to feel the embroidery on the green pinafore, only to recall her nanny’s words about dirty hands. She pulled away, and chose to simply admire it from afar.

“Oh, what a lovely present. We’ll have to check your Score when we arrive in Daath. Perhaps you are meant to wear this when you meet your cousin.”

…Meeting Luke. 

Natalia wondered just what that would entail, exactly.

—

The ship came to port three and a half days later, with crew running about the decks and dock to secure the vessel and begin inspection. A small detail of Oracle Knights were waiting, and they ushered the freshly disembarked princess and her caretaker onto a carriage waiting for them.

It was a considerably short ride by carriage, albeit rather uncomfortable as they climbed up a steep hillside. Maggie pointed out a large stone monument that had been erected at the top, and as they crested, Natalia finally saw Daath with her own two eyes.

It was huge but flat, compared to Baticul at least, and the cathedral was by far the biggest building in the city. It held a rather intimidating presence with its sheer size, and the little princess swallowed hard as nerves overcame her.

The carriage brought them directly to the base of the cathedral, where a long set of stairs led up to tall doors. How heavy were those things anyways? How did the Oracle Knights even get them open or closed? Natalia hadn’t noticed the carriage come to a stop, and she blinked in surprise as she felt someone shake her shoulder.

“We’ve arrived,” Maggie said, and Natalia scooted herself out of the carriage. 

A tall man dressed in ornate robes approached the two of them, and the nearby Oracle Knights stood at attention.

“Ah, if it isn’t the young princess Natalia,” he greeted her jovially. “A pleasure to finally welcome you here to our fair Order. I am Maestro Tritheim.”

“Hello, Maestro Tritheim,” Natalia said with a curtsy, trying to remember which specific greeting she needed for this situation. “Thank you for your hos-pi-tali-ty,” she sounded the word out slowly, “during our time in Daath. May the Score’s grace be upon you.”

“My, what a sweet child you are. I’ve been told that you’re here to celebrate your seventh birthday. Seven is a very good number, very lucky. Come, let me show you into the cathedral, and we will have your Score read for you.”

As they walked, Tritheim engaged in conversation with her nanny, explaining some news and giving a small handful of updates regarding the Scion’s progress and wellbeing. He brought a hand to his cheek and sighed, shaking his head. “It’s a shame he has so few visitors, I fear his social skills will stagnate. Then again, it has been quite a while since Kimlascan royalty has graced these halls,” he gestured to the building around them.

“There has been much… hardship, for the Kimlascan royals,” Maggie settled upon as she followed behind the Maestro at a respectable distance.

“Yes, the Queen’s passing was very unfortunate. And the Duchess is still… disagreeable. But, the world moves onwards. And you’re here now to celebrate.” Tritheim grinned at Natalia. “I’m afraid that Luke is still too young to be able to read the Score himself, so Fon Master Evenos shall read your Score for you instead.”

“Does that mean that I can’t see Luke?” Natalia blurted out before realizing her error. “I-I’m sorry, Maestro Tritheim,” she corrected herself, “I _am_ excited to have Fon Master Evenos read my birthday Score. But I’m excited to meet Luke, too.”

Tritheim chuckled quietly. “Fret not, young princess. You will be able to meet with your cousin once your Score reading is over. In fact, he’ll be present for your Score reading. As the Scion, he will be expected to read the Score fluently, so it is important for him to watch how Score readings are done.”

“How wonderful,” Maggie breathed out, placing a hand onto Natalia’s shoulder, “your birthday is providing his Holiness with an educational opportunity. You’re already doing your part to help him.”

“Come,” Tritheim said, “I’m sure you’re eager to get started. Fon Master Evenos and his Holiness are within the sermon hall further in.”

Past another set of doors at the rear end of the entry hall, there lay a large chamber that reminded Natalia of the churches back in Baticul. Rows of pews lined up neatly, and tall stained glass windows decorated the wall, washing everything below in a spectacular flood of colorful light. At the base of the largest window (an abstract depiction of Lorelei’s prophetess, Yulia) stood a golden throne, topped with the Daathic tuning fork symbol.

Perched atop red crushed velvet cushions was a young boy, with short red hair and bright green eyes. He was wearing a long white tunic with blue accents that was rather… plain, all things considered. Natalia bit her lip shyly as she finally got a look at him.

This was… it? She knew that Luke was a year younger than her, but she had expected him to be… taller. And grander. Wearing jewelry and silks or something to show off his important status. He was the Scion of Lorelei for heaven’s sake, and if Lorelei was so important, why did Luke look so… regular? He looked _especially_ small sitting in that large throne they’d placed him in.

Still, her chest tightened with all of the things she wanted to say to him. There was so much to tell about Baticul, and her aunt and uncle. There were also about a hundred questions she was burning to ask him, but he’d need to speak to her first.

“Your Holiness,” Tritheim greeted, before he took a moment to look around. “Where has Evenos gone?”

“He went to speak with Mohs,” Luke spoke up, swinging his legs back and forth as he leaned forwards in his throne. “He said he’d be back soon.”

Tritheim huffed in annoyance. “I told him the princess would be coming…”

“It’s no trouble,” Maggie spoke up to assure the Maestro. “The Order has many things to attend to. Being here for a Score reading is a privilege, after all.”

“Spoken well, but still, I must apologize for the delay, your highness.” Tritheim bowed his head to the young girl. “Please excuse me while I go off in search of—“ The doors to the sermon hall opened up, and both Fon Master Evenos and Grand Maestro Mohs entered in tandem. “How fortuitous, here they are.”

“Forgive my tardiness,” Evenos said somewhat out of breath as he rushed in, pulling on his vestments.

“Tritheim,” Mohs looked at the man, “thank you for fetching her highness. That will be all.” He waved his hand dismissively, causing Tritheim to frown. He refrained from saying anything, and merely bowed to Natalia once more before excusing himself, shutting the doors behind him.

“Now then,” Evenos spoke, looking to Natalia. “You’re here for your birthday Score, yes? How exciting to have it done within Daath.”

“It is an honor to have my Score read by you, Fon Master.” Natalia curtsied again. Her eyes darted between him and Mohs. Evenos seemed like a kinder person, with a friendlier face. Mohs made her feel small, and slightly queasy. She shuffled back and hid behind her nanny’s skirt.

“Enough of that.” Maggie gently swatted at her. “Stop being childish. This is an important ceremony.”

“Yes it is. Speaking of,” Evenos turned to look at Luke, seeing the boy watching this exchange with a curious gaze, “you, come here.” He snapped his fingers and then pointed to the ground next to him.

Luke blinked, then his eyes widened. “I get to get up?”

Natalia didn’t like the sound of that. Was… was he not _allowed_ to get up?

“You need to see formal Score readings up close. Come here,” he repeated with a firmer tone, and Natalia squirmed. Maybe Evenos wasn’t as kind as she originally thought.

“Yes, Fon Master!” Luke eagerly chirped as he jumped down off of the throne. He took a moment to stretch, his legs feeling a bit stiff and cramped from having been sitting for way too long, and then he hurried down the stairway to be level with everyone else.

“Now then,” Evenos took hold of Natalia’s hand and invoked the seventh fonon to start the Score reading.

Luke watched with wonder in his eyes as shimmering, golden lights exploded around the Fon Master and concentrated around the princess. As Evenos spoke, the concentrated fonons would vibrate and shift, forming shapes that were too fuzzy to make out clearly. He attempted to draw closer—to get a better view of what the fonons were trying to form—when he felt a rough hand grab at the back of his collar.

“Hold still,” Mohs insisted with a harsh whisper.

“But—!”

“Shh!” He insisted, gesturing to the ceremony in progress.

 _”The young princess shall flourish in the capital of Light,”_ Evenos spoke evenly. _”The people’s hearts will call out to her, and her heart shall respond in kind. Though she shall struggle in the school room, every day she will gain more knowledge of what is good, and right, and true. She shall bring the city in with her late in the year, and in the palace she shall remain until the rains pass and the garden blooms.”_

The lights disappeared as the Score reading came to a close, and the sermon hall suddenly felt hollow and empty to Luke. He’d seen fonons like this on occasion whenever Scorers did their duties, but he’d never seen them so big and up close before!

He really wanted to see more…

“Well, your highness, it seems that you are destined for quite a prosperous year,” Evenos reached out and patted the girl gently on her head. “I’m sure your family will be quite pleased.”

“Yes, that was a wonderful Score.” Maggie clasped her hands together. “His Majesty will be thrilled to hear it. Although ‘struggle in the school room’ is troubling. I’ll have to alert her highness’ tutors right away.”

“Good, good.” Evenos nodded before directing his attention over to Luke. “Now then, what did you learn from observing?”

Luke hummed for a moment, mulling over everything he’d just witnessed. His gaze drifted over towards his cousin, and he gave her a sheepish half-smile before looking back to the Fon Master. “You called on a lot of seventh fonons!”

“Yes, I did—“

“Excuse me,” Natalia spoke up softly. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but, I was wondering, is reading the Score like casting a healing arte? That uses seventh fonons, too.”

Before Evenos could respond, Luke spoke, “It’s different. Healing artes don’t create shapes.”

The room went quiet for a moment as the adults all stared at him. 

Mohs broke the silence, “What shapes?”

Luke furrowed his brow. He didn’t understand the question, and ended up gesticulating to the best of his ability fonons flurrying around. “Y’know, shapes!”

Evenos knelt down so he was level with the young scion. “What do you mean by that, Luke?”

“The Score reading, when you called on all of those seventh fonons. They moved around and made shapes while you were talking. Healing artes don’t do that.”

“You can _see_ fonons?” Mohs balked. It was true that in high enough concentrations, fonons could become visible to the naked eye, though the amount of fonons drawn in for a simple Score reading was far too low for something like that.

“Perhaps this is a conversation best left for another time,” Evenos whispered, indicating Natalia and her nanny. The young girl was captivated by her cousin’s claim of ability, and Evenos didn’t need the Score to predict the chaos that would lead to.

“Luke,” Mohs spoke, “it’s time we introduced you to your cousin. This is her royal highness, Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear. Princess Natalia, may I introduce his Holiness, Luke, the Scion of Lorelei.”

“Hello, princess Natalia,” Luke bowed his head to her, “it is an honor to meet you finally. Thank you for making the voyage to visit the cathedral.”

Natalia stammered, her cheeks flushing. Why was _he_ bowing to _her_?! She was a lowly princess in comparison to—well, to a god!

“T-the honor is mine, your Holiness!” She curtsied so deeply she lost her balance and nearly fell over.

“Evenos, can I show the princess the inner gardens?” Luke asked, tugging at the man’s sleeve.

“Did you complete your scripture and meditations for the day?” Evenos asked in turn, and Luke nodded. “Then you may, provided her highness’ nanny has no objections, and you are cleaned up in time for dinner.”

“Of course, Evenos. Thank you!” Luke exclaimed happily. 

Instinctively, Luke reached out to take hold of Natalia’s hand so he could lead her to where they needed to go, but he quickly realized that was not appropriate. He pulled his hand away before it could make contact, hesitated for a moment, and then used that hand to motion for her to follow along.

As soon as he and Natalia were outside of the sermon hall and away from prying eyes, Luke let out a big, dramatic sigh and shook his head. “It feels so good to move around. I hate sitting on that throne.” Luke took another moment to stretch before he settled his sights on his cousin. “I’ve got a _lot_ of questions I wanna ask you, and I’m sure you’ve got a _lot_ of questions you wanna ask me. Wanna take turns asking?”

Natalia stood stunned. Luke was… just talking to her. Like a normal person! “I-if that is your wish, your holiness,” she started to curtsy, but Luke cut her off.

“You don’t have to do that. Or call me that. We’re family, so we’re allowed to drop the formalities. That’s what Master Van said, but Evenos and Mohs are strict, so I guess we’ll have to keep up titles while they’re around.”

Luke started to walk on ahead, motioning for the princess to once again follow. He led her out of the cathedral’s main entry hall into a long corridor that split off into several more hallways, each more identical than the last. As Luke navigated them through this maze of a building, he asked from over his shoulder, “So what’s Baticul like? That’s where you’re from, right? I’ve heard that it’s really tall, and that’s where our family lives. I don’t know if I’d like living up really high like that, it sounds kind of scary to me.”

“Father says that Baticul was built in a crater left by a giant fonstone when it fell from the sky,” she answered, keeping close to make sure she wouldn’t get lost. She really wished she could just hold his hand. “The tallest part of Baticul—that’s where we live—is the same level as the cliffs on the edge of the crater. It’s not scary at all. Well, maybe it is in the rest of the city. I’m not allowed to go anywhere that’s not on the top level, unless it’s to the church.”

Luke twisted a doorknob and pushed, opening up a view to a large exterior courtyard. Three sides of the courtyard lay enclosed against the cathedral, while the fourth spilled out into a training yard where the Oracle Knights performed drills. In the center of the courtyard was a small garden as well as a pilgrim monument, which Luke took a seat up against.

“At least you can _go_. I’ve never set foot outside the cathedral grounds.” Luke huffed, glowering. “Things have gotten so _boring_ around here, too. Master Van’s been teaching an older boy, so I haven’t been able to see him much, and mom’s been busy raising my little sister, so I’ve been stuck with Mohs and Evenos.”

Mom? Little sister?

Natalia did not like the sound of that at all. “You can’t have a little sister,” she stated, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked down at her cousin. “Auntie Susanne never had any other children.”

“Huh?” Luke looked at her. “Not my _mom_ -mom. My church-mom, Pamela. She helped raise me when I was really little, but two years ago she had a baby of her own, so she’s been busy dealing with Anise—my church-sister. I don’t even remember my mom-mom.” It’d been three years since she visited, after all.

Natalia grew indignant. Her aunt Susanne was sick and stuck in Baticul. She missed her son so much, and yet here he was calling someone else his mother!

“Don’t call her that!” She snapped, balling her hands up into tight fists. “Auntie Susanne is your mother, and that’s it! You aren’t allowed to have another! Isn’t it enough that you’re more special than the Fon Master?”

Luke stared at her, his expression slowly settling into a frown. She was _arguing_ with him, telling him what he _couldn’t_ do as if she had any authority to do so. She wasn’t the Fon Master, nor a Maestro or Master Van.

He almost laughed at her.

Using his hands to pull out fistfuls of grass, he challenged, “You can’t tell me what to do. Pamela’s my mom.”

Natalia’s whole body burned at Luke’s words. She would not stand to have her beloved aunt so disrespected.

“Take that back!” She hissed. “There’s _nothing_ special about you! You can’t even read the Score! You were probably just making up what you said about seeing fonons!”

That got Luke to bristle angrily, and he scooted back away from her defensively. How _dare_ she speak to him that way! That was so far out of line that the Maestros would definitely punish her for what she just said. Of _course_ he was special, the Score said so! What did _she_ know, anyways?

“I didn’t make anything up!” Luke snapped, throwing the picked grass at her. “Seventh fonons are gold! And I’m _learning_ how to read the Score!”

“I can already cast a healing arte!” Natalia exclaimed smugly, glad that she was able to get under the ‘Scion of Lorelei’s’ skin. “And I’m learning archery, and embroidery, and how to rule a whole country! You don’t do anything but sit in a chair that’s too big for you!”

Frustration reached a boiling point within the young Scion. He’d never been _allowed_ to get angry like this before, nor have such a candid conversation. It wasn’t _his_ fault his teacher took on a new apprentice, so he had to be taught by the Fon Master for the time being—who was _also_ incredibly busy.

And it wasn’t like he _liked_ being forced to sit all day long going over scripture and meditation!

He didn’t know how to put any of that into words, though. Here was this girl who was _supposed_ to be his friend, taunting and laughing at him.

So he got up, stormed right up to her, and shoved her onto the ground.

“Shut up!” He yelled, his face burning hot.

“Don’t push me!” She yelled right back, shooting a foot out to kick at Luke’s shin. “Mohs took you away from Auntie and that’s why she’s always sick! And you don’t even care about her!”

“—OW!” Luke yelped as her foot collided with his shin. He scrambled backwards to put distance between them in order to rub his sore appendage. As Natalia pulled herself back up to her feet, Luke started to yell some more. “How can I care about someone who’s never even around?! I haven’t seen my real mom in years, and my dad’s too busy to bother! You’re the only real family to visit, and you’re calling me a liar and stupid! I hate my real family!”

Angry tears spilled out, and he used his sleeve to furiously wipe them away. 

“Pamela cares about me…!”

“Why do you get to have _two_ mothers while mine is dead?! Auntie Susanne loves you so much, and no matter what I do I can’t make her happy! Everyone loves you and you don’t even have to try because you’re special!”

“I don’t WANT to be special!” Luke screamed as loudly as his lungs would permit, and the sound echoed out of the courtyard.

The nearby knights in the training yard stopped their drills upon hearing the commotion. Commander Grants frowned as his student ceased his attacks on the training dummy he had set up.

“Did I tell you to stop, Guy?”

The young boy in question was no older than ten. Tall and lanky, with short blond hair and bright blue eyes. He gripped the hilt of his wooden blade tightly. “No sir, you didn’t. It’s just…” he trailed off, pointing to the courtyard where the shouting originated from.

Van took a moment to listen, realizing that Luke was involved in a situation that had long spiraled out of control. “Keep practicing until you’ve finished your sets, then I want you to run sprints,” he ordered before hurrying off to the courtyard.

By the time he arrived, Van found both children in tears, throwing dirt, grass, and pebbles at one another while insults were traded.

“Luke!” Van barked, and immediately the young scion dropped his stockpile of makeshift weaponry onto the ground. “What is the meaning of this? What happened here?”

“She started it!” Luke pointed at the princess with an accusatory finger.

“I did not! You pushed me!”

“You kicked me!”

“Only because you pushed me! You’re mean! You can’t be Lorelei at all! Lorelei is nice!”

“What do you know about Lorelei anyways?!”

Van quickly intervened, grabbing Luke by the collar of his tunic and pulling him away. “You _pushed_ her highness?”

Luke stammered for a moment. “S-she told me that Pamela can’t be my mom!”

Van then realized just what had transpired. Of course Pamela’s involvement in raising Luke would be a… touchy, if not sore, topic for the royal family. No doubt Lady fon Fabre had told the young princess a _colorful_ version of past events. He needed to diffuse the situation, and fast.

“Luke,” he placed his hands onto the youth’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze. “You _know_ putting your hands on someone is wrong.”

“…I know.”

“Then why’d you do it?”

Luke was silent for a few moments. “…I don’t know.”

“That’s not an acceptable answer, Luke.” Van frowned, and Luke used his foot to scuff at the dirt while he bowed his head in contriteness.

“I was angry…”

“And what do we do when we feel angry?” Van asked.

“Use words.”

“Very good. Now, princess,” Van released his grasp on Luke before turning to face the other child, “that applies to you as well. Kicking someone is wrong.”

“Y-yes…” her cheeks burned with shame.

“I understand that you’re angry too, but family can be more than blood relation alone. Pamela Tatlin is a fine woman who has done a remarkable job in helping to raise your cousin. Did your nanny not help raise you?”

“Yes…” she said slowly, taking a hiccuping breath as she rubbed her eyes. “Auntie Susanne did, too, but I don’t call her or nanny my _mother_. And Luke said he hated us!”

“Luke, is that true?” Van asked, looking back to the boy. “Do you think saying something like that would have made her highness less angry?

“But she said—“ Luke started, and Van rolled his eyes. Not having the patience for this kind of petty argument between children, Van grabbed Luke and hauled him up over his shoulder, interrupting him before he could even finish his accusation. “H-hey! Put me down!” He demanded, swinging his legs wildly.

“Not going to happen. Come on, princess, let’s go find your nanny. I think the both of you need some time to cool off.”

Van ushered the princess and hauled Luke back through the cathedral, finding the nanny in question conversing with a few different Order members in the front entry hall. The nanny did a double take and gasped audibly upon seeing the disheveled, grass-stained, teary mess that was Kimlasca’s princess.

“What on Auldrant happened!?” She rushed over to the princess’ side, fussing over the young girl.

“There was a fight,” Van responded in a huff, gesturing to the small child still thrown over his shoulder. “Luke will be spending the rest of the day in his room.”

“A fight?!” Maggie asked in shock before directing an angry glare at the young girl. “Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvalder! How _dare_ you bring shame to your family—to our entire country—like this! And by insulting the Scion of Lorelei, no less. What did I specifically tell you not to do?!”

The scolding only brought about fresh tears.

“Your holiness,” her nanny turned and bowed deeply to Luke, “please accept my most humble apologies for Princess Natalia’s deplorable behavior. It shall never happen again.”

“I’m sure it won’t,” Van said. “Try not to be too harsh on her highness. Luke was the one to make it physical by throwing the first proverbial punch. Shove, in this case. Speaking of which, Luke,” Van finally set the young boy down, “I believe you owe her highness an apology.

Luke pouted, crossing his arms. “I will if she apologizes to Pamela!”

“I didn’t even say anything mean about Pamela!”

“Princess!” Her nanny snapped.

Natalia frowned and scrubbed at her eyes. This wasn’t any fair! All she did was say something that was _true_ and Luke got mad and pushed her!

“…I’m sorry that I was mean to Pamela,” she said flatly.

Luke stared at the princess for a long moment. Well, it may not have been sincere, but she did what he wanted, so he’d call that a victory. Luke exhaled slowly and tried to calm himself down. “I’m sorry for pushing you.”

“Good, now we can put all of that nasty business behind us and move on. The both of you.” Van said sternly, looking between the two children. “Am I understood?”

“Yes, Master.” Luke nodded, keeping his head down.

“Good. Now, go to your room. A servant will bring you your supper for the evening. Mohs, Evenos, and I will be discussing an appropriate punishment.”

Luke nodded once more in acknowledgement, keeping his gaze down on the floor as he quietly excused himself.

“Come with me, princess,” Maggie said, taking her charge’s arm none too gently, “we have many things to discuss, and I expect that I will not have to repeat the lesson _ever_ again. Am I clear?”

“Yes, nanny.”

“Very good, now come along.”

Van watched silently as the princess’ nanny led the young girl away, and when both were out of sight, he exhaled sharply and stroked his chin. Well… that was certainly unexpected. He hadn’t anticipated such a volatile interaction between them.

This complicated things.

No, no. It was manageable. There were ways to work around childish, impulsive behavior.

This won’t interfere with his plans.

—


	3. First Reading

_ND 2009, Rem Decan_

Natalia sat at her desk carefully drafting her letter, taking special consideration into her words. What had started as something of an extra punishment for her behavior on her first trip to Daath was now an enjoyed routine activity. Begrudging letters of forced pleasantries evolved into in-depth conversations that took months to have, allowing for her to actually get to know her cousin.

Luke, she found, wasn't mean. He was just lonely, and she was grateful she was able to provide him some relief with her meager letters, though she wished she could do more for him.

"Princess Natalia," Maggie spoke as she walked into the girl’s room. 

Natalia looked up from her letter, frowning.

"Don't give me that ugly look, young lady."

"You're supposed to knock and announce yourself," Natalia said, "I'm not a baby anymore."

"If you aren't doing anything wrong, then you have nothing to hide.” Maggie sniffed. "But I suppose if you want me to leave, I don't have to tell you what I have just found out."

"Hm? What is it?" Natalia asked, pushing her papers aside before standing up from her chair. "Please tell me, nanny?”

Maggie cleared her throat, taking a moment to smooth her apron out with her hands. “I am pleased to inform you that his Majesty has received official correspondence from Daath. The young Scion of Lorelei has demonstrated Score reading competency, so Daath extends an invitation to have the annual royal Score reading read by the Scion himself!” She clapped her hands together in a moment of excitement. 

“For such a momentous occasion,” she went on to say, “his Majesty, as well as the Duke and Duchess, will be traveling to Daath to participate.”

"Really?" Natalia gasped with excitement. If the entire royal family was going, this was important!

"Yes, really," Maggie confirmed, "I can see that you already understand how rare this is, so I want you on your best behavior. Not at all like the last time you visited. If I hear even the slightest whisper that you've stepped out of line, I will see to it that you regret it."

"Yes, nanny," Natalia said distractedly, already thinking of how her aunt would react to seeing Luke again after five years.

"I will begin packing—"

"Oh, but nanny, I want to pick out my own clothes," Natalia pouted. She hated the dresses her nanny picked out for her—they were always too frilly, and in colors she didn't like.

Maggie narrowed her gaze. Natalia was becoming more… emboldened, as she grew older, and it was a worrisome trait. Confidence will be key in running the country one day, but for now? She needed to do what she could to instill courtesy and obedience. Otherwise she’d make for a wretched bride.

“What you want is of no import, princess,” she stated curtly, causing Natalia to wince. “This is a rare, momentous event that the whole of the royal family will be present for. You will be expected to dress formally.” 

Of course, she shouldn’t try to outright stifle Natalia’s budding independence, either. Balance was key if she wanted Natalia to grow up to be a competent ruler. Hm, perhaps this was a good opportunity for teaching.

“Your highness, might I suggest a compromise?” she asked. Compromise was a word the princess would become intimately familiar with when it came time to rule Kimlasca, so now is a good time to get her acquainted with the concept. “Why don’t I pick two dresses, you pick two dresses, and each of us has the power to veto one dress. The remaining two can be worn during your trip. Does this sound fair?”

Natalia wrinkled her nose. She would much rather be permitted to choose her own dresses. She was the princess, after all. But getting to choose one dress was better than getting to not choose any dresses at all.

"...Alright. Allow me to finish my work, and then I'll come pick my two dresses," she said with a nod.

"Very well, your highness.” Maggie gave a short bow before slipping out of the room. 

Once she was sure she was gone, Natalia turned back to her letter and began to scribble without the careful consideration she had before.

_'I just learned that everyone is coming to Daath to visit for your Score reading! Father, Uncle Crymson, and even Auntie Susanne! I’m so excited!’_

—

Within the Fabre manor, a couple of maids helped pack up the Duke and Duchess’ luggage while Duke Fabre paced around his chambers irritably. His wife had put her foot down and given her ultimatum, and he was in no mood to argue with her.

"I will not go if that man is still there!" Susanne snapped, clutching her shawl tightly around her shoulders.

“Susanne, we’ve been over this. We have a duty to be there for Luke—“

"That monster stole my child and expects me to pretend that it never happened! No, no I will not partake in this ceremony if Mohs is even on the continent!"

"Susanne! This is not up for debate!" Crymson snapped, throwing his hands up into the air for emphasis. "You are a royal! You will act like it!"

"How dare you?" Susanne glared at him.

"No, how dare you! You have been resenting me all these years because I couldn't stop them—“

“Couldn’t?” She laughed in disbelief. “You _stepped aside_ and _let_ them take him!”

The Duke’s face began to turn red as his anger bubbled up to the surface. “What was I supposed to do, dammit? You _can’t_ go against the Score, against the Order. Were you expecting me to start a war with Daath?”

“I expected you to protect your family! You _failed_ as both a husband and a father that day!” she hissed out between clenched teeth.

“That’s rich, coming from you,” Crymson laughed in turn. “How long has it been now? Four, five years since you’ve last visited him? Will he even remember you?"

"Stop it, Crymson!" Susanne's voice grew tight as tears welled in her eyes.

The maids had long since stopped packing at that point, and they quietly excused themselves from the royal's bedchambers, granting the quarreling couple much needed privacy. This provided just enough of a distraction that Crymson exhaled slowly and let some of his anger go.

This argument was getting them nowhere.

"...I will send a letter to Daath, requesting that Grand Maestro Mohs not be present for the ceremony. All I ask is that you be there for _our_ son.”

Susanne took a deep breath to pull herself back together. She was still a princess of Kimlasca, after all, and while she was not at all happy, she could put back on her royal face. "Of course," she said with a nod, "Thank you."

Crymson sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair. He knew what a toll this took on his wife—how could he not, when he lived with the guilt every day as well? He just wished that she would be a bit more reasonable…

"I'm sure Luke will be happy to see you," he said at last. “Natalia will be excited as well. Make sure they don't wear you out.”

The duchess forced a hollow smile at her husband. She didn’t have the energy nor the will to continue this exhausting conversation. Tiredly, she turned her gaze to look out the nearest window. Not a cloud in the sky. 

Briefly, Susanne wondered if it was this sunny in Daath as well.

—

Guy trudged into the cathedral looking like a drowned rat. He was soaking wet, his uniform clinging in all sorts of uncomfortable places, while a muddy puddle was beginning to form beneath his soggy leather boots. He’d receive an earful from the custodians for that, but he didn’t particularly care at this point. 

Van had forced him to undergo intense training drills despite the horrid weather, and not only was his energy gone, but his patience was wearing dangerously thin.

He was cold, sore, and hungry. And he would address those complaints with a long bath, a hot meal, and an afternoon nap.

“Oh, perfect! Excuse me, cantor!”

Guy spun around and found a church matron calling for him. Internally he groaned. God General hopeful or not, he was still only a trainee, and trainees had to follow orders of those ranked above them.

“Yes?” He answered, approaching cautiously with a grimace at the sound of his boots squishing against the stone floor. 

“A letter has just arrived for his Holiness, but my duties bid me elsewhere. Would you please ensure he receives it?”

Guy tried not to roll his eyes. The precious Scion of Lorelei _needed_ his mail delivered right now. This very instant. And he was the _only_ one she could ask for such a task. Who cares if he leaves a trail of mud in his wake? The Scion must have his important letter!

"Of course," he said, tugging off a damp glove and extending his (mostly dry) hand.

The matron smiled and gave him the letter.

"Yulia's grace be with you, cantor.”

Guy gave the woman a halfhearted smile and took a step back away from her to put a little distance between them. She’d gotten too close for comfort.

Being careful not to stash the letter into a wet pocket, Guy made his way over to the side hallway where stairs led up to the ‘faithful’s housing,’ which was really just a large block of apartments that housed all the Order members. He’d never really been in this section of the cathedral before specifically, as the barracks for Oracle Knights and God Generals were located underground. 

Of course, one could not simply just take the stairs to reach the Scion of Lorelei. At the base of the stairs, a teleporter pad hummed softly while giving off a dull glow.

He came to a stop.

Crap. What was the password?

Not just anyone was allowed access to Luke’s chambers. A password was needed in order to even activate the teleporter. Guy stood there awkwardly and panicked over how he was going to complete this inane task when he didn’t have the means to even _get_ to the recipient.

His stomach growled audibly and he winced. This was worsening his mood by the minute, and he was tempted to just leave the letter on the pad because honestly, what else could he do? Van knew the password, but Van would require massive backtracking through the rain and he just did not want to deal.

The pad then illuminated brightly, and in a flash, Luke was standing before him.

“Oh! Your holiness!” Guy exclaimed in surprise as he stumbled back. This was a happy coincidence. He quickly knelt down and extended out the letter towards him. “You’ve received a new letter.”

Luke took the envelope out of his hands, and his face lit up upon seeing who it was from. “Ah! It’s finally here!” he exclaimed to himself before he paused, taking note of Guy’s wet appearance. His eyes darted back and forth as he surveyed the area, noting that no one else was present. 

Safely in solitude, Luke asked, “Would you like to come upstairs and dry off? That can’t be comfortable, and I know the barracks are pretty far from here.”

Guy did a double take. Did Luke just openly talk to him? He thought the Scion wasn’t allowed to speak with those ‘lesser’ than him.

“Oh—I, er, Your Holiness," Guy stammered, not sure how he was supposed to answer. He couldn't contradict the Scion, but it wasn't like he could be honest about his immense discomfort either. "...It would be against protocol for me to accept your generous offer, your Holiness.”

Guy’s stomach growled again, filling the silence for a moment, and his face flushed darkly out of embarrassment. “Forgiveness, your Holiness. That was rude.” He bowed his head to the young boy.

Luke furrowed his brow. “I don’t see anyone else right now that would be upset over breaking protocol.”

Guy's jaw tightened. He certainly didn't want to get in trouble, or spend more time with the Scion than he had to. But, he conceded, the longer he stood here debating, the longer it would be until he could properly rest.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt. Just this once, since you invited me," he said slowly, "I shouldn't stay long, though.”

“Of course,” Luke replied coolly as he gestured for Guy to follow after him.

Tentatively, the cantor stepped up onto the teleporter platform and stood beside Luke. For a moment he wondered if he was tall for his age or if Luke was actually that short. The kid was what, eight years old now? He wouldn’t hit a real growth spurt for a while, then.

“By the will of Lorelei, take me home,” Luke spoke aloud, and Guy shielded his eyes as the teleporter roared to life. A blinding light encapsulated them, followed by a fuzzy, warm feeling. When it disappeared, they were standing before a doorway that Guy had never seen before.

“Whoa…” he said softly.

“First time using a fonic elevator?” Luke questioned, taking note of Guy’s slight uneasiness.

"Well it's not like we have the luxury of them in the barracks," Guy said, before remembering who he was speaking to, "I mean... climbing stairs are a good way to keep all the soldiers fit, your Holiness. Ordinary soldiers usually aren't permitted to visit the Fon Master's quarters, or yours."

Ugh, this would be so much easier if the kid would just remember their stations and stop talking to him as if they were equals.

"It's... It's an experience," Guy said with a slight smile, trying to ease the awkwardness of the situation.

Luke opened up the door and stepped into his room, and Guy stood there with hesitation, internally debating if this was really okay to do. What if this was some kind of test? Van was Luke’s teacher after all, what if Van asked Luke to test him on proper conduct and Order etiquette?

“Are you coming?” Luke asked, and Guy snapped out of it.

“Right away, your Holiness.”

Luke frowned upon hearing that again and shook his head as Guy entered into his room. “Please, don’t call me that,” he requested, and Guy’s brows rose in surprise. “I hate it when people call me that.”

“But—“

“This is the one room in the Cathedral where no one’s watching. So please, just call me Luke,” he insisted as he hurried over to his private washroom. A moment later he emerged with a fluffy white towel and handed it off to Guy.

Guy took the towel, still rather stunned and unsure of his footing.

"Thank Your H- Luke," he said, sinking his fingers into the deliciously plush material as he began to dry his dripping hair. He took a moment and glanced around the room, finding it depressingly bare.

There was a bed with white sheets, a desk with a journal, quill, and inkwell opposite the bed, and a dresser on an adjacent wall. There was really nothing here that indicated personality, expression, or hell, childhood. At least back in his room at the barracks he had a few books and some pieces of fon tech he could tinker with in his spare time.

So… Luke wasn’t allowed to talk to anyone, did the Order not want Luke to _do_ anything either aside from staring at a blank wall?

"So, uh, can I ask who the letter is from?" Guy asked, breaking that dreadful silence that had been bothering him. "You seemed pretty excited when I gave it to you.”

Luke pulled out the envelope in question and grinned. “I get letters from my cousin every few weeks. I used to hate it, but she’s got so many interesting stories of the outside world.”

Guy took a moment to remember the structure of Luke’s family. “Your cousin the princess?” he asked, and Luke nodded. “Oh, right. I remember now. The last time she visited, you punched her in the face.”

Luke bristled and began to sputter. “I did no such thing! I only shoved her!” And threw grass, dirt, and rocks at her, but Guy didn’t need to know that.

“That’s better, I suppose…” Guy trailed off as he resumed drying his hair.

Luke tore open the envelope and pulled the letter out before taking a seat on the edge of his bed. He started to read, and halfway through gasped in excitement. “No way!” He exclaimed happily.

“Wha—what? What’s going on?” Guy jumped slightly, startled by the sudden outburst.

“My entire family is coming to visit! I don’t think they’ve ever been here all together at once before. This is huge!”

The _entire_ royal family? That was a big deal, for sure. 

Guy gave a low whistle. "That's pretty impressive. They must be coming for the New Year, right? Guess we'll all have to be on our best behavior. No fighting with the princess. So what did you push her for, anyways?”

“Huh?” Luke looked up at Guy.

“Well I mean, everyone here in the Order knows that you two got into a rather nasty fight, but no one really knows what it was about. And it’s not like us regular folk are able to ask about what happened. I mean, if it’s okay to ask you, that is. I don’t wish to overstep.”

“It’s fine,” Luke assured him as he set the letter down. “Natalia said some things that made me mad, and I didn’t know how to express why they made me mad. So I shoved her.”

“What exactly did she say?”

“That I wasn’t allowed to call Pamela my mom.”

“Pamela? Pamela Tatlin?” Guy tilted his head. “I thought you weren’t allowed to speak to anyone who wasn’t a Maestro or above, except for Van since he teaches you.”

“Pamela helped raise me after I was brought here. Although I haven’t seen much of her lately,” he sighed disappointedly. “Anise has started the Order’s educational program, so she’s not around, either. And Oliver always upheld the strict rules not to talk to me, so I was never very close with him, personally.”

Guy took notice of the tinge of sadness in Luke’s voice. “Is that why you invited me here? Are you lonely?”

Luke squirmed for a moment as he shifted his gaze off to the side. “You’re the only other kid here…”

"There's lots of children in the Order," Guy stated flatly. "And I'm four years older than you. What about Ion? The two of you are in pretty similar circumstances, right?”

“Ion is…” Horrible, Luke wanted to say, but he refrained. “He’s busy with his own studying to become Fon Master. Besides, you train with Master Van, so we have a connection!" Luke insisted.

Guy frowned. He couldn't tell the kid just how deep his connection with Van ran, nor about the events that led to him residing in Daath.

"...I guess you're right," Guy said, "but don't tell anyone that I said that. I'd probably get assigned to another teacher within the hour.” He dropped the towel to the floor to sop up the puddle he'd left. "So Princess Natalia said you couldn't call Matron Tatlin your mother. I can see why that would have made you mad, especially since it sounds like you were pretty close to her.”

“Mmhm.” Luke nodded, settling back down onto his bed. “My real mom never visits. Every year I get a notice from Baticul about how she doesn’t feel well enough to make the journey, since she’s very frail and often sickly. I haven’t seen her in five years.”

“That’s… rough. I’m sorry,” Guy did mean that sincerely. No family, no friends, no meaningful contact with anyone—no wonder Luke was sneaking around and trying to squeeze conversation out of him. “Do you remember her?”

“A bit,” Luke answered with a sigh. “But all I can really remember was how sad she looked. I’m kinda worried she’ll be sad again. Natalia told me that my mom never wanted me to be here—“

Guy’s stomach growled _again_ and the blond flushed furiously. “S-sorry, Luke. I haven’t had any lunch yet. I was asked to deliver the letter to you before I had a chance to get back to the barracks and clean up after training.”

Luke hopped up to his feet and hurried over to his dresser. He pulled open the bottom drawer and rummaged for a moment before pulling out a small circular tin that was decorated with hand-painted deer and flowers. 

“Here,” he offered, handing it over to Guy. “It’s not much, but it should help until you can get a full meal.”

Guy pulled off the lid to find a small assortment of cookies. Checkered, sugar dusted, chocolate twisters, even jelly drops—these were all very high quality desserts. Eyes wide, Guy looked back up at Luke. This kid only just met him and he was giving him treats of this caliber? 

"Thank you," he said, "but I can’t accept this.”

“Please, have them,” Luke insisted.

“Wouldn’t you rather save these for a special occasion?”

“This is special,” Luke said, and Guy felt like he’d just been punched in the gut, like when he didn’t have his guard up during training.

This was just _sad_.

“…Alright, but I won’t feel right unless you have some, too. Oh, I haven’t—I’m Guy, by the way. Cantor Guy Cecil.”

“I know,” Luke said with a nod, “Master Van told me about you when you first came here to the Order. It’s really rare for a child to be trained up specifically for a God General position. But it’s nice to officially meet you.”

“I could say the same about you,” Guy chuckled as he helped himself to one of the cookies, popping it into his mouth. “How often does Lorelei grace we mortals with his Scion?”

Luke hummed and reached for a cookie himself. “The Score said that I am the Scion and that I will inherit Lorelei’s power, but I don’t really understand what that means. I don’t think I’m any different from anyone else.”

“Well, you’re still fairly young. Maybe there’ll be differences in the future.”

“I hope not,” Luke admitted softly.

“It’s tough being different, huh?”

Luke flopped back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling. For his entire life he’s had to abide by strict rules and conduct. People bowed down and worshipped him and he couldn’t understand why. Why was he so special? He didn’t have any fantastic powers or abilities. Rem, he’d only just learned how to properly read the Score!

“It is,” Luke settled on. “Maybe when I’m older, I’ll finally be allowed to leave the cathedral. The view of Daath is so pretty from the balconies. I’d love to walk the streets and see everything up close. Mohs would have a fit if I really did, though.”

Biting his lip, Guy filed the information away for later. He had some travel magazines that highlighted vacation spots... it wasn't the same as visiting those places, of course, but it was better than nothing.

"I think I can kind of understand," Guy spoke up. "I don't have much free time to leave the cathedral, and when I can, I can't leave Daath. Being stuck in just the cathedral must be really tough."

Guy looked back at the letter before taking another cookie for himself.

“But hey, at least you have the letters from Princess Natalia, right? It sounds like you two get along much better now. Maybe they should have let the two of you get to know one another through letters first. I mean, you’re the Scion, she’s a princess. There was bound to be ‘you can’t tell me what to do’ problems between the two of you at such young ages.”

“Well, now that I know her a bit better,” Luke sat upright to look at Guy, “I think this time things will go a lot smoother. Especially since our whole family will be there.”

Guy’s breath hitched in his throat when he realized that the whole of Luke’s family included his father. Guy had glossed over that pesky little detail earlier, and it left him nearly choking on his cookie. Crymson Herzog fon Fabre has visited the cathedral a handful of times in the past, but Guy had never been present to witness it.

“Guy? Are you okay?”

Guy blinked, and he quickly glanced up at Luke who had a concerned expression on his face. 

“Huh? I’m sorry, I must have spaced out for a moment.”

“You look kinda pale,” Luke started, and Guy shook his head.

“No, no. Just… feeling a bit cold. These wet clothes are getting uncomfortable.”

Luke let out a small, embarrassed gasp. “Right—of course they are. I’m so sorry for keeping you here.”

"It's no trouble. Thank you for letting me dry off. And thank you for the cookies, too," Guy said quickly, making his way towards the door. He had to get out of here now, before he gave himself away. ”I guess I'll see you around, right? Just don't cause too much trouble.”

“Oh, wait!” Luke got off of his bed. He placed the lid of the cookie tin back on and then made his way to Guy’s side, handing the tin to him. “Here. All that training’s gotta be hard, and I know the food for trainees isn’t the best.”

“I can’t accept thi-“

“Please. I want to give these to you.” Luke placed the tin into Guy’s hands. “I really liked talking with you, and I hope we can talk more in the future.”

Guy stared down at the tin in his hands before looking up to the small boy before him. The combination of red hair and green eyes made him feel physically ill at times, but Luke was just so earnest and friendly. 

He was nothing like his father, from what he could remember, and Guy was uncomfortable at that realization.

“…Sure,” he blurted out without thinking. “We can talk more in the future, if no one is around so we don’t get yelled at.” Or worse. This was a very dangerous social situation to be in, for a number of reasons.

Luke’s face brightened in response. “Okay! See you later, friend! I’ve gotta write my cousin back!”

Guy stepped out of the Scion’s room, and when the door shut he let out a frazzled, exasperated sigh. Undine’s grace, this just got so complicated.

He stared at the fonic elevator silently for a long moment.

Crap! What was that damn password!?

—

"Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, get down from there this instant!”

Natalia pretended not to hear her nanny over the wind. They were so close now, she could see Daath Bay, but none of the grownups seemed interested in the view. Well, perhaps her Aunt was, but she was resting below decks right now fighting a nasty bout of sea sickness.

"Princess Natalia, get down from that railing immediately!"

At this, the young princess turned with a deep set frown, her heels braced on the lowest rung, and her hands holding tight to the top. The wind was making a mess of her hair, but she didn't care in the least. They were almost in Daath!

“Why?" She asked back in a snippy tone.

“How many times must I tell you how dangerous that is? You can easily fall overboard and drown!” Maggie _yelled_ at her in rising pitch as she pulled on the young girl in a desperate fervor. “Get down from there, now!”

"But I—"

"No arguing! We've been over this a thousand times! You are the sole heir to the throne, and it's high time you started acting like it! Your life is precious! Do not jeopardize it so carelessly!”

Natalia's face burned, and she ducked her head.

"Yes, nanny…” She willingly released the railing and allowed her nanny to pull her down onto the deck. 

Maggie quickly checked her over, using her hands to smooth out the girl’s dress and mussy locks before she breathed out a sigh of relief. 

“Let's get you to your stateroom. You look like a wild thing with your hair like this."

It was only a short time later when the royal ship docked, and the family disembarked. As they were led to the waiting carriage, Natalia pulled away from her nanny to tug at Susanne's sleeve.

"Auntie, may I sit next to you?" she asked. “Please?"

“Certainly, dear,” Susanne consented, scooting over on the leather seat of the carriage to make room for her and the nanny after. Her husband and half-brother sat across from them, and it was a smooth ride from the port to the city itself, allowing Susanne’s stomach to finally settle.

Upon arrival at the entrance to the cathedral, Natalia’s nanny helped the little girl down. Ingobert stepped out after, and Susanne found herself stalling to leave the carriage. Seeing the giant, ugly building that represented everything wrong with her life had feelings of unease rising up to the surface.

“Susanne,” Crymson said softly, holding his hand out for her to take. “It’ll be alright.”

Susanne stared at him for a long moment before taking his hand to exit the carriage. “I wish I could believe that.”

Maggie held her charge's hand, her eyes fixed on the cathedral and her jaw tight lest she say something about the Duchess.

Spoiled, she thought, having her son be the Scion of Lorelei isn't enough. She wants to keep him, too. Others are far less fortunate.

The duchess forced herself to take a slow, deep breath, willing herself to calm down. She was here for Luke and his first Score reading, and dammit, she was going to see it whether she wanted to or not.

The group of royals were escorted inside the cathedral by a pair of Oracle Knights, and instinctively Susanne clutched her husband’s arm tightly.

“Ah—! Your Majesty, it is such an honor for you to be here in our humble cathedral,” Maestro Tritheim greeted Ingobert with a deep bow. “Duke Fabre, Duchess Susanne, welcome, welcome. And ah, my goodness, how much have you grown, little princess? Why you’re shooting up like a beanstalk.”

“Maestro Tritheim, a pleasure,” Ingobert chuckled warmly at the enthusiastic man. “It’s been some time.”

“Too long, your Majesty, but I understand that running an entire country is busy work. I know you’re not here to listen to me ramble on, forgive, forgive. The young Scion is waiting for you within the sermon hall.” He gestured to the doors that led to the room with the big stained glass windows and golden throne—where Natalia had met Luke for the very first time.

"Thank you, Maestro," Ingobert said, "I hope we shall be able to speak more later.” He stepped towards the doors, which were flanked by more Oracle Knights. He then gestured to Natalia, who hurried over and took his hand. "Your presence is not required currently," he informed his daughter's nanny, who quickly curtsied.

"Yes, your majesty. I shall see that Princess Natalia's room is put in order.”

With the nanny now gone from their presence, the royal family entered into the sermon hall of the cathedral, that was empty save for the young Scion sitting upon his throne, same as the last time. 

He didn’t notice any of them enter right away, as he was focused intensely on a large piece of fonstone within his hands, his eyes scanning over the green, glassy surface of the rock as he kept practicing how to read the Score. After all, he didn’t want to mess up in front of his whole fami—

“My goodness, Luke?” Ingobert commented as he looked up at the young boy. “You’re turning into quite the handsome young man.”

Luke snapped out of his intense concentration and nearly dropped the fonstone. He took notice of his family standing there. All of them—even his mother. His eyes widened upon seeing them and he quickly set the fonstone aside, jumping off of his throne to dash down the stairs to their level.

“Father! Mother!” he exclaimed happily.

"Luke!" Susanne cried, her eyes full of tears. Her dear, sweet baby boy was so big she didn’t even recognize him despite his familial coloring. “Just look at you—! You’ve grown up so fast!”

Luke stopped just short of his parents, wanting desperately to reach out and touch them, but refraining. He couldn’t be selfish, it simply wasn’t appropriate to touch people, or be touched by them. Only his teacher and the Maestros were permitted if strictly necessary. 

Instead, he folded his hands in front of him and smiled at them. “I’m so glad you’re all here.”

“It’s so wonderful to see you again, Luke.” Crymson gave a nod to his son.

“Are you behaving yourself?” Susanne began her barrage of questions, “Are you studying hard? Oh, but not too hard, I hope; you shouldn't wear yourself out. Did you get the gifts we sent for your birthday?”

“Yes, mother. The cookies you and father sent were delicious. I really liked the design on the tin, too.”

“I’m glad. We had Baticul’s finest baker make those especially for you,” Crymson said with a smile.

Natalia and Ingobert hung back, watching the scene between the three redheads. Natalia watched her cousin, and felt a mix of jealousy and sadness rise up in her chest. Releasing her father's hand, she tugged on his sleeve.

"Father, can—“

"Hush, Natalia. Don't cling," Ingobert murmured gently, waving off his daughter. Natalia took a step back, folding her hands in front of her the same way Luke did.

"Those cookies are my favorite," Susanne confided in her son, "I had hoped that you would like them, too. Please tell me you didn't ruin your appetite, or make yourself sick on them.”

“I didn’t,” Luke assured her, being careful not to reveal the full truth. He didn’t want to get his new friend in trouble, after all. He took notice of Natalia out of the corner of his eye, and he glanced over his shoulder to see his uncle and cousin standing nearby.

“Hello, Luke,” Ingobert greeted with a nod of the head. “We’re all very excited to witness your first Score reading. I trust you’ve been practicing hard?”

“Yes, uncle. It’ll be the best Score reading ever!” he boasted, puffing his chest out a bit for showmanship. The funny look he got from Natalia had him reeling himself in, though. Embarrassed, Luke cleared his throat and ended up waving to his cousin. “Hello, princess. It’s nice to see you again.”

Natalia blushed at the sudden change in Luke's demeanor. Was something different? Everyone else got called by their familial names, but he referred to her by title. Was she supposed to do the same thing, even though it was just family right now?

"Your Holiness," she said, curtsying, "it is an honor to see you again. I am glad to see you in such good health."

"Now, now Natalia, there's no need to be so formal just yet," Ingobert said, "Though I am glad to see you taking your lessons to heart.”

“Yes,” Crymson agreed. “We don’t wish for another incident like the last time, do we?”

Luke’s cheeks went a bit red at that. Truly, the fight he and Natalia had two years ago was something no one would ever let them forget. Sheepishly, he attempted to change the topic of conversation. 

“Shall we get started?”

“Will Fon Master Evenos be present for the Score reading?” Ingobert questioned and Luke shook his head.

“Fon Master Evenos is currently in Malkuth on official Order business,” he recited. “So Grand Maestro Mohs will be conducting the sermon before the official reading.”

Susanne felt her veins ice over and dread coil up in the pit of her stomach. Ingobert and Crymson shared quiet, worried looks to one another.

“That can’t be right. We’ve, uh…” Crymson started, wondering how he should say this in front of two children. “We’ve asked that the Grand Maestro not participate in this event because it’s… special to the family. We’d just like for it to be us.”

"You did, however you forget that Daath is an independent state, and therefore not beholden to the whims of Kimlascan royalty," Mohs said as he stepped out of the shadows with an oily smile. "And since Fon Master Evenos has other matters to attend to, I simply had to step in to take his place and ensure this momentous ceremony occur without incident."

Natalia glanced at her aunt and uncle. Susanne looked as though she were going to be sick. 

"Father, is that true?" she asked.

Ingobert stammered for a moment. “Yes, Natalia… It’s why Luke was brought to the Order to begin with. The Order is neutral.” He cast his younger sister a concerned look from over his shoulder but said nothing further, not wanting to spark a diplomatic incident.

“It ensures that matters concerning the Score remain impartial,” Crymson added on, his gaze firm and disapproving as Mohs approached with that smug expression of his. “Although one would think some _compassion_ and understanding would be warranted in this case.”

“With all due respect, my Lady,” Mohs started as he walked past the Kimlascan family to reach the pulpit, “it has been eight years. Move on.”

Susanne twitched and felt bile rise up in the back of her throat.

“Mom…?” Luke asked with worry.

The duchess managed to swallow it back, and she took in a shaky breath. “Shall we begin the Score reading?” Her voice was tight and forced, and Luke could see the tears in her eyes.

This was just like five years ago.

"Don't worry over it too much," Ingobert said to his nephew as he led Natalia forward, "We're all here to see your new abilities and celebrate the new year, aren't we?"

Natalia looked between her cousin and her aunt. She wanted Susanne and Luke to smile again. She wanted them to be happy again. The Score and the Order were supposed to be good, yet all she’s seen so far is how it makes her family hurt.

“We can begin,” Luke said, taking his position by standing next to Mohs.

Mohs started to speak his sermon, singing praises to Lorelei and his prophetess, Yulia Jue. Without whom, there would be no Score, and thus, no map to prosperity. 

Luke, having heard this exact same speech who knows how many times over the course of his life, ended up mouthing the words to Mohs’ sermon with a somewhat bored expression on his face—much to Natalia’s amusement and Crymson’s ire. He quickly stopped after seeing the stern look his father was giving him.

Finally, when Mohs had finished prattling on and being self important, Luke stepped forwards and held his hands out. He began to draw in the seventh fonon through his fon slots, feeling the deep vibrations of the planet’s memory. Flecks of gold light seemingly swirled around him—a phenomenon he learned that only he could see—and he forced himself to ignore it. The shapes fonons made were distracting and not at all how a proper Scorer reads the Score.

He had to find and then focus on the words that revealed themselves to him.

“ND 2009,” he spoke, seeing strands of fonic script float by within the air before him, “The Capital of Light shall endure great winter storms, acting as a beacon in the darkness to guide the lost and weary to its warmth. After the runoff settles, sickness shall spread amongst the weak and downtrodden—"

“Oh dear,” Ingobert breathed out. Sickness was an annual, expected occurrence, but to have it outright mentioned in the Score meant that it would be particularly nasty this year.

Luke opened his mouth to continue his reading when suddenly, he wasn’t standing in the cathedral anymore, surrounded by his family. He didn’t know _where_ he was. It was black all around him, yet he could still see himself perfectly as if it were daylight. 

Golden fonons began to flurry around him again, forming many shapes and images that were still too fuzzy to clearly make out. He spun around, trying to look for the strands of fonic script—for the words. If he could find the words, he could recite what he was supposed to, and things would be okay.

He couldn’t find any.

Panic arose and he tried to call out, only for no voice to come forth.

There was sound. Not him, and it was muffled. Luke whipped around and began to look for the source, and he noticed that a particular cluster of fonons were shifting erratically.

Cautiously, he approached, and as he neared, the image the fonons were creating began to clear up for the first time in his life. It was still hard to make out, but it looked… it looked like his cousin…?

Curious, he reached outwards, and the moment his hand brushed against the fonons, everything became crystal clear.

_’There are people dying with no place to go!’_

Luke staggered backwards as he looked around once more. The void was now gone, and he was standing somewhere unfamiliar again, but it looked tangible this time—real, and not comprised of golden fonons. Was this actually happening? What was this?

It was a gigantic room, on par in terms of size with some of the chambers in the cathedral, and there were three big thrones on one end. His uncle was seated on the largest throne, and his cousin stood before her father, making an impassioned speech.

_’We must do something to help them!’_

_’Natalia, we simply do not have the resources to lend much more aid. We’re stretched thin as is to maintain our borders and defend against Malkuth.’_

_’Your majesty,’_ a new man Luke had never seen before appeared into the picture, standing nearby the king, _’we could always import doctors from our other cities if the situation grows dire. Certainly the clinic in Belkend has a few to spare?’_

Ingobert sighed. _’That’ll have to do.’_

The scene around him vanished, and he blinked, seeing his cousin standing in front him _crying_. She was—she was holding his hands!? He jerked them back away from her and quickly looked around, seeing that he was back inside the cathedral, but—but things were different?

His mother was crying, too. Oracle Knights were standing off with his father and uncle, who were shouting very unsavory things at Mohs, and vice versa.

“S-stop! Stop!” Luke managed to say. “As Scion of the Order I command you to stand down!” he snapped at the Oracle Knights.

The Oracle Knights immediately stopped, turning their heads to the sound of Luke's voice.

"Your Holiness!” They dropped to one knee and bowed deeply.

For a moment, the room was almost completely silent. Susanne seized her chance to break away and gather her son in her arms, causing the boy to go rigid stiff. This was a hug...? His mother was so soft and warm, and there was something nostalgic in the way she smelled.

"Oh thank goodness," she breathed, her tears now flowing freely. ”Luke, are you alright? I thought we'd lost you again. What happened? Are you hurt? Do you feel sick?”

“I-I don’t know,” Luke answered in all honesty, trying to piece together the strange things he’d just seen. The hug from his mother was comforting, but he couldn’t allow himself to relax into her worried embrace. “I… What happened?”

“That’s what we want to ask you,” Mohs said as he eyed the young boy over. “You began your reading and then abruptly stopped.”

“We tried to get you to answer us but you didn’t respond,” Crymson said, his expression grim. “Your eyes, they… they turned gold.”

Luke blinked several times. “What…?”

“What happened?” Mohs asked again with growing impatience.

“I… I saw…”

“Explain, now.”

“Watch your tone,” Crymson spat at Mohs. “He’s eight.”

Susanne used a hand to gently caress the top of Luke’s head, her fingers combing through his red locks which allowed Luke to breathe a bit easier. He was still trying to recall what happened in his head, but he had a general idea of how to explain the things he witnessed.

“I saw…” Luke started again, looking over to his cousin, “I saw you. And uncle. I don’t know where it was, but there were three thrones in a huge room.”

Ingobrert sucked in a breath. That sounded like the throne room in Baticul.

“And you were angry,” Luke said to Natalia. “People were getting sick and there was nowhere to help them get better. And a man, I don’t know who he was, but he was standing next to you,” he pointed to his uncle, “said something about bringing in doctors from Belkend.”

Ingobert's worry only grew. That sounded like a likely scenario when the sickness swept through—would it really be enough people that they would have to bring in doctors from Belkend? Was Luke _seeing_ the events of the Score as they would unfold?

"Enough of this," Mohs said, putting his hand on Luke's shoulder and squeezing tightly, "These circumstances warrant further consideration. Luke, come along. Visiting time is over."

Susanne looked up, holding her son a little tighter.

"No, please. Not yet.”

“Come along, Luke,” Mohs instructed coldly, ignoring the protests of the royal family around him. 

Honestly, when will they get it through their thick skulls that they had no jurisdiction or power here? It was getting tedious, and any more pushback from them would result in a lost temper and migraine.

To his surprise—and dismay—Luke openly defied him. “No!” The child said, and Mohs’ face scrunched up into an angry frown.

“Excuse you?” he asked.

“I’m not going anywhere with you. I want to be with my family!” He went so far as to hug his mother back.

“Luke—“ Mohs started.

"He's the Scion of Lorelei and he says that he doesn't want to go with you," Natalia said, stepping up to the Grand Maestro with her arms crossed, "You don't even outrank the Fon Master, so you don't outrank Luke either."

"Natalia," Ingobert said, more in the interest of maintaining relations with Daath than disciplining his errant daughter. "Do not speak to the Grand Maestro like that."

"So you're going to let him boss Luke around? If he thinks he can do that, then he thinks he can run Daath," the princess argued.

Mohs grit his teeth indignantly. These children were mocking him! Luke, he could absolutely punish later for his insubordination, but that brat, Natalia… there was, unfortunately, no way to make an example of her.

“While it is true that the young Scion has a higher rank within the Order,” Mohs started with a concession, “his youth does not permit him wielding any real power of that rank. Until you are of age, Luke,” he directed his gaze to the child, “you are under my care, and subsequently, my rules. Now, I won’t be asking you again.”

Luke swallowed hard. He knew firsthand how scary Mohs could be when he was angry, and while he might have some leeway and protection right now with his family present, ultimately they will go home, and Luke will be at the grand maestro’s mercy.

Was it worth it to be defiant right now?

“…Alright,” Luke sighed, withdrawing from his mother’s embrace.

Natalia was about to protest when she felt her father pull her back.

"Don't," he said softly, leaning down to murmur in her ear, "Remember that Luke must live here, with the Grand Maestro."

"...Yes, Father," Natalia said quietly, looking at the floor as Susanne seemed to wilt without Luke.

Crymson stepped in, laying his hand against his wife's cheek.

"Susanne. Let's get you to bed. You need to rest," he said firmly. "Come. I'll help you.”

As the grand maestro began to direct Luke away from his family, the young boy looked at Natalia from over his shoulder and quietly mouthed a goodbye to her. Hopefully he’d get the chance to see her later, since his family would be staying for a few days.

When outside of the sermon hall, Mohs ordered every able body within the immediate vicinity to track down and bring Van to him, before ushering Luke off to a small meeting room in one of the outer hallways. It was a bit cramped, sitting at the table. The walls were bare and there was nothing to do or say. Mohs was seething in a simmering rage at having his authority undermined in front of the royal family, but he did not act.

Frankly it scared Luke that he _wasn’t_ being yelled at for how he acted back in the sermon hall.

Eventually the door opened and Van stepped in. “What’s this all about?” 

“There’s been a new… development,” Mohs started, gesturing down to Luke. “With Evenos in Malkuth, you’re the only one here to discuss this with.”

Van raised an eyebrow.

"Really? Luke, what happened?" He asked, looking at the small boy, "I certainly hope that there wasn't another... incident."

"He went into a fit of some kind!" Mohs hissed, "He claims he's seeing things. The Kimlascan royals are in an absolute state, and that mother of his is only fanning the flames of defiance!”

“Settle down, Mohs,” Van held his hand up as a gesture of placation. “Give Luke the chance to explain himself and give his side of the story. I’m sure he wasn’t trying to be openly defiant in order to spite you.”

Mohs clicked his tongue but he backed off, crossing his arms to go sulk in the corner. His expression still remained sour, and Luke shivered a little as he predicted that whatever punishment lay ahead will not be light.

“Alright,” Van redirected his attention to the child, “can you please tell me what happened?”

Luke ended up recanting the tale to the best of his ability. As Luke spoke about the black space full of fonons that created scenes that came alive, Van’s eyes widened.

“What do you make of this drivel?” Mohs asked upon Luke’s conclusion.

“It is anything but,” Van muttered, stroking his chin. “Luke has made claims in the past that fonons created shapes. It seems like those shapes have evolved.”

Mohs scoffed. “And you believe him?”

“I have no reason not to,” Van stated simply, glancing over to the Grand Maestro. “I believe it’s very likely that Luke is developing a unique way to view the Score, yes. Perhaps this is what it means to be Lorelei’s scion—to view the Score in such an intimate way.”

Which if that was true, created a _host_ of problems for Van that he was not prepared for.

If Luke could potentially see the Score as if he was really living it, he could, theoretically, see the Closed Score as well.

...This changes things.

—

“—Cantor! Cantor!” An oracle knight called out and Guy froze in place, silently spitting curses that he could not catch a break while walking between his errands throughout the cathedral. Slowly, he turned to face the Oracle Knight in question, and he was surprised to see a little girl at his side. She looked to be Luke’s age.

Oh! Was that his cousin? What was she doing here on her own? Was Luke busy? Hopefully there wasn’t another fight…

“Yes? What is it?” Guy asked.

“Escort her highness around the cathedral and give her a tour, hm?” And with that, the Oracle Knight walked off.

Guy opened his mouth to protest, but the words died down in his throat. He couldn’t refuse an order from a superior, after all. Instead he glared so hard he was hoping to bore holes into the back of the man’s head. 

He was going to be a God General, dammit, he was not some free baby sitter!

The young princess tried not to wince at the angry face the older boy made. She wanted to stay with her family, but the adults seemed to have more important things to do than explain anything to a little girl.

"...Cantor," she said with a quick curtsy. She hoped her eyes weren't too red and puffy from crying earlier.

"Huh? Oh, right. Cantor Guy Cecil," Guy said, bowing to the younger blonde. Perhaps it wasn't quite as respectful as it should have been, because he saw her little face scrunch up in displeasure, but he didn't really care. She was the princess of _Kimlasca_ , after all. At least she wasn't getting any closer to him.

"Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear," the princess replied coolly. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at him, "Do you really have to bring me around the cathedral? I want to see L- His Holiness.”

Guy grimaced ever so slightly. “I… unfortunately don’t know where his Holiness is located currently. I’ve been with the commander all morning until a knight said Mohs needed him. And as a cantor, I have a duty to carry out any and all tasks assigned to me by other Order members.”

That was clearly not the answer she was hoping to hear, and Guy struggled to find some way to place a positive spin on things. This whole situation sucked, but it would suck ten times less if the princess wasn't as unhappy as he was about this.

“I’m sure we can find something cool here to show you,” he started, glancing around. “Oh, I know. Daath has a vast library that’s rumored to be the biggest in the world. Or… there’s the children’s educational programs the Order provides for kids of the Order members. There’s bound to be some kids there for you to play with.”

Natalia's frown stayed firmly put.

"I don't like reading," she said, "The words get all mixed up and turned around."

Playing with other children though... maybe? Even if they weren't Luke, it was better than wandering around this maze of a cathedral and hearing about how old dead so-and-so raised the money for this pillar or that brick so that the church could continue.

"It's not going to be a bunch of babies, is it?" she asked suspiciously, "I'm eight—almost nine.”

“There should be a healthy mix?” Guy didn’t sound too convincing. It wasn’t as if he paid any real attention to the educational program. He’s been on a fast tracked accelerated program to groom him for a high ranking position. He didn’t have time to laze about with the other children. It was hard enough finding time here and there to visit Luke.

“Let’s just go and see what we find,” he settled on, “make an adventure out of it.”

—

Guy gently opened up the door and peered in, seeing a matron sitting on a chair with a book in hand reading aloud to an assorted group of children. They were… quite young, many ranging between four to six years old.

The matron took notice of Guy and paused her reading. “May I help you?”

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry for the interruption. I was just giving Princess Natalia a tour,” he said, opening the door all the way so the princess in question could be seen.

Natalia felt the children turn their eyes on her. She was disappointed, but she couldn't let that show.

"Hello," she said, waving slightly at the group, "As Cantor Cecil said, we didn't mean to interrupt, so I think we should be g-"

"You're Luke's cousin, right?" a little girl ask, hopping to her feet. She had her curly black hair pulled into two pigtails tied with ribbon. Natalia frowned slightly. Who was this child to be speaking so directly about Luke? And wasn't she aware that she was speaking to a princess?

"His Holiness and I are related by blood," Natalia said, "His mother is my father's younger half-sister.”

“Anise, what have I said to you about referring to his Holiness so casually?” The Matron gently admonished the young girl with a disapproving tone.

“But he’s my big brother,” Anise challenged, placing her hands on her hips with a defiant pout. “Mama and I love him lots, Papa too, and the rules say that family can talk to him equally.”

Guy held his breath and quietly took a step back from Natalia. It may have been two years, but this subject was the source of her fight with Luke. He wasn’t sure if Natalia had matured enough to fully grasp the concept that Luke was close with other people by necessity.

“That’s not—“ the matron began to argue, but there wasn’t really a way to explain that level of complexity to a four year old. “Anise, while you’re with other people, the respectful thing to do is call his Holiness by his title.”

Natalia clenched her teeth, reminding herself that this was a little girl. One whom Luke's cared about enough to call his 'little sister.’ He would definitely be mad if Natalia hit her.

"Cantor Cecil," she said, rounding on Guy with a speed that made the young trainee jump back nervously, "Let us continue the tour. I want to see all of it.”

Guy offered up no objections and followed after, leaving the children’s school behind. That was still a damn sore topic for the princess, but at least she’s learned to not lash out openly about it. Though, with the way she seemingly radiated rage with every step she took, Guy knew she was barely holding it together.

Rem, this was painful. He did not want to be responsible for those _murderers’_ kid. But he knew all too well what it felt like to have a really bad day, and sometimes, it wasn’t so bad to show your enemies a little kindness.

“Ah, um…” he paused, coming to a stop. “I know, why don’t we go to the kitchens? They’re making scones for tonight’s dessert. I’m sure the cooks will happily give you some.”

It took a few steps for his words to catch up to the princess, but when they did she turned to look at Guy with surprise. He wasn't sure what kept those tears in her eyes from falling, only that the way she looked at him made his heart clench tightly.

"Can... Can we do that?" She asked. She gathered herself somewhat, swiping at her eyes with her sleeve, and continued. "Just a little scone. A princess does not stuff herself with sweets," she recited primly.

"Just a little bite," Guy promised, glad he seemed to be able to distract her if only for a few moments.

The two of them backtracked throughout the cathedral, Guy taking the lead showing just where they had to go. As they came down a flight of stairs and rounded a corner, Guy accidentally bumped into someone who’d been carrying a laundry basket full of clothes. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed feminine features, and terror gripped at his heart.

He let out a high pitched scream and jumped back aways, his heart racing. “S-Sorry…!” Guy stuttered, trying to calm himself down. “I didn’t see you!”

“No, no, I’m sorry,” the woman spoke setting her laundry basket down. “I wasn’t looking where I was going and carelessly ran into you. Are you alright?”

“Fine,” Guy’s voice cracked as he swallowed back the lump that had formed in his throat. “Just fine…” He then took notice to whom he was speaking. Oh, perfect. This was going to bode so well. “I didn’t mean to worry you, Matron Tatlin.”

When Guy mentioned the matron's name, Natalia turned on her heel. "I have to go," she said, her voice thick as she began walking in a random direction away from Guy and Pamela.

"Princess Natalia, wait!" Guy called, hoping she would listen. It wasn't like he could go and stop her. However, Pamela stepped in.

"Your Highness," she said, catching up to Natalia and gently touching her arm. Natalia stopped still, and her shoulders curled inward. Pamela had heard about the fight two years ago. All of Daath had. 

"Your Highness, you've had a very long day," she said, "Why don't you and Cantor Cecil come have tea with me, hm? I would be honored to host a princess, and even more so to speak with Luke's cousin.”

Guy let out a small breath of relief. He hasn’t had many interactions with the matron in his time with the Order, but from what he could tell, Pamela really was a genuine, warm, and kindhearted person. Looking over at Natalia, and knowing how tense and upset she was, that warmth and compassion could go a long way to smooth things over.

Or it could just make things worse, since it _was_ Pamela. Natalia looked like she wanted to throttle Anise back in the schoolroom.

“That’s a very generous offer, Matron Tatlin,” Guy spoke, attempting to egg the princess on into accepting. If Pamela took her off his hands, he would finally be free, and could go back to doing things that mattered.

Turning back towards the matron, Natalia tried to put on a brave face. She couldn't say no, not without causing everyone more trouble and getting another scolding for it, and Pamela seemed to truly mean what she said. She nodded stiffly, and Pamela's smile grew.

"Excellent! Now, Cantor Cecil, would you mind carrying my basket?" She asked, "We're much less likely to bump into you that way. I can prepare some lunch for you as well. I know you're a growing boy.”

Guy’s voice caught in his throat, and he silently cursed as his chance to escape dwindled away from him. For Sylph’s sake, he didn’t want to be hanging around the princess for any longer than he had to, but… an offer for free lunch was very hard to pass up. Matron Tatlin’s cooking had to be better than what was served in the mess hall by the barracks.

“Ah, sure,” he relented, bending down to pick up the laundry basket. 

Pamela led them towards the apartment block of the cathedral. As Guy stepped into the apartment after Natalia, he took notice how cozy it was. 

It was all standard issue furniture, but the Tatlins seemed to make it their own. Particularly there were a lot of handmade dolls on shelves and flat surfaces, each with uneven stitching and wonky faces. Unsettling, but it had some charm.

“Here we are,” Pamela said as she headed off to the kitchen to put on a kettle. “It’s not much, but it’s home. Please, make yourselves comfortable.”

“Thank you,” Guy said quietly, taking a seat on the ottoman next to the small sofa. He took in a deep breath and smelled the most wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread that made his mouth water.

Natalia perched hesitantly on an armchair, finding it softer and cozier than anything in the castle back in Baticul. Pamela brought out a tray of snacks and set it down in front of the children.

"I'm so happy to finally meet you, your highness," she said, "And I'm very glad that you've come to see Luke. I know it's hard on him, being separated from his family."

"You're his family," Natalia said, unable to bear it any longer. "He calls you his mother, and Anise his little sister!"

"That must be hard to hear," Pamela said with a nod, "Especially because it sounds like you are very close to Duchess Fabre. But Princess, please understand, we could never replace Luke's family in Baticul. We are here to help your family—we don't want Luke to be alone, either."

Guy shifted uncomfortably as Natalia began to cry.

“Oh, sweet girl,” Pamela said softly. She came around and took a seat next to the princess, and rested her hand atop Natalia’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard… Lorelei tests us in many ways, but we must all strive to overcome our hardships.”

The kettle began to whistle, and Guy, feeling like the awkward outsider, leapt to his feet to take care of it.

"B-but I miss him!" Natalia wept, "Everybody misses h-him! It isn't f-fair!"

"No, it's not," Pamela agreed, "or at least it doesn't feel like it, does it? But Lorelei works in ways we cannot always understand, sometimes even hate. Those are the times when we must be our bravest.” She took out a handkerchief to wipe away the princess' tears. "You are a sweet girl, princess. Luke is lucky to have you as his cousin. You must love him very, very much."

Natalia nodded mutely as she tried to catch her breath. "...I'm sorry for crying, Matron Tatlin," she said in a hoarse whisper.

"Oh, nonsense. Everyone cries now and then," Pamela replied, "and call me Pamela, please. Now, I think our tea is—oh, thank you Cantor Cecil."

Guy had re-entered the room with a tea tray when it sounded like Natalia was cooling off. Setting the tray down, he took one cup for himself, leaving the other two for Pamela and the princess.

"It's no trouble," Guy said as he helped himself to two sugar cubes for his own cup of tea. After all it was either be useful and help out or sit there awkwardly while the princess cries.

Pamela gently pat the top of Natalia's head for a moment. "Luke is a lonely child," she spoke, grabbing a muffin from the snack tray on the table. 

With a knife, she dressed the treat with fresh strawberry jam and a dollop of whipped butter before placing it into Natalia's hands. Natalia nibbled delicately on the treat, feeling a little bit better.

"With such strict rules about who is and isn't allowed to talk to him, he cherishes what relationships he's allowed to have,” Pamela continued.

"Yeah," Guy sighed quietly in agreement. The way Luke had so eagerly parted with his cookies just for the chance to talk to him was telling.

"I'm afraid he'll lose our relationship soon," Pamela looked forlorn. "As he grows older, my services are no longer a necessity... I fret how I'll break the news to Anise that she won't be allowed to talk to him anymore. And my husband... well, he's always maintained the respectable distance.”

Natalia then felt guilty. At least she and her family would always be Luke's family. "But that’s—that's so sad! I... I wish Luke could talk to whoever he wanted to."

"I'm sure it's for the best," Pamela said, smiling as the little girl finished her treat. She handed Natalia a mug of tea, "Lorelei's will always is.”

Guy rolled his eyes. Lorelei's will? For the best? That was laughable, and the fact that everyone around him willingly believed in that made him feel so angry.

How many innocent people died every day because it was 'Lorelei's will'? How could people so blindly cling to the Score's every word and not question it?

Scion or not, Luke was still a human being, with wants, needs, hopes, and fears—just like everyone else. Taking away one of the deepest personal connections he has will destroy him, and there was no _reason_ for it!

"Are you alright, cantor?" Pamela asked, seeing the deep set scowl on Guy's face.

"Huh?" Guy blinked. "Oh, no it's nothing. The tea's a little bitter.”

Hazel eyes fixed themselves on Guy, but Natalia didn't say anything as she sipped at her tea. She still wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about all of this, and Guy didn't seem to like Pamela's answer, either, but Pamela hadn't yelled at her, or fussed over how she looked this whole time, so Natalia couldn't really be mad at her anymore.

"Feeling better?" Pamela asked, and Natalia nodded, "Good. Finish up your tea, and I'll get a cool cloth for your face. Then you can be on your way with Cantor Cecil. Don't worry, Cantor—I haven't forgotten that I promised you lunch. I'll pack up something for you to take back to the barracks.”

"Thank you, Pamela," Guy said as he too grabbed a muffin from the snack tray. "It's greatly appreciated."

The older woman chuckled warmly with a smile on her face. "As you said earlier, it's no trouble."

—

With his bagged lunch in hand, and a little princess who felt better at his side, Guy strode back to the entryway of the cathedral. Surely the princess' nanny would be there and he could finally be free from babysitting detail.

He came to a standstill upon hearing a voice that chilled him to his very core.

“—What do you mean we can't see him?" Crymson argued with Mohs.

"The young Scion appears to have undergone a metamorphosis of some kind, and until we understand just what it is, we're not permitting any visitation."

"You can't _do_ this!" Susanne argued. "We have a _right_ to spend time with our son and make sure he is okay!”

"He is unharmed. However, due to the scale of Lorelei's powers, it is _your_ safety we are concerned about,” Mohs said, though his tone was strained, "I do apologize that you made the journey out here for so little time with him, but these things may happen more frequently now that he's older."

Natalia looked up at Guy, her eyes wide. _Would they have to go back home without seeing Luke again?_

"Is this because he's in trouble?" she asked her guide, careful to speak quietly enough that the adults would not hear.

"I don't even know what's going on..." Guy said, growing concerned. What was this even all about? Metamor—what? He thought that the Score reading had gone off without a hitch, no one had told him that there was a problem.

"Do you at least have some sort of idea what _happened_ back there?" Crymson asked, trying to find some sort of middle ground for the Order and his wife. "If you could give us any information, something to reassure us—“

Mohs sighed heavily. He may not _like_ the royal family, but they deserved to know at least this much. "The commander has a theory that Luke ended up... within the Score."

"What does that even mean?" Susanne pestered for clarification.

"You were there, Duchess.” Mohs shook his head. "You heard Luke describe the things he saw. Commander Van chooses to believe that Luke became... overwhelmed, during the Score reading, and ended up immersed in the Score itself, as if he was really there."

Guy's eyes widened. “He can do that?!” he breathed out in shock.

"His eyes turned gold," Natalia supplied in a whisper, "And he saw our throne room in Baticul. And then the Grand Maestro tried to take him away, but Luke said no, and now he's in trouble."

Guy suppressed a groan. Not only did it sound like the kid was coming into his power, but he was starting to rebel, too. He'd have to talk to Van and see if this worked with their plans.

"Princess, why don't I take you back to your room?" he suggested, "I'm sure they'll come get you if the Grand Maestro changes his mind, but you don't need to stand around and listen to all of this."

"But I want to see Luke!" Natalia protested.

"You heard the Grand Maestro, though. No one's being allowed to see him until they can figure out what's going on." Not that he could blame her in the slightest for wanting to visit. Even he had to admit that he was insanely curious, and wanted to hear Luke's account of things firsthand.

What was it like to be within the Score? Did he really have the power to experience things, as if they were really happening?

Guy then grew fearful. What if Luke had the power to see all of the Score. If Luke discovered the truth about his origins and Hod...!

No, no. Don't get carried away. Nothing has been confirmed yet.

"Duchess, I promise you that the moment we determine there's not a safety risk, we'll permit visitation again," Mohs finally stated.

"That's easy for you to say, isn't it?" Susanne said. The stress of the journey, and the events of the day were sure to have a negative effect on her health. Lorelei only knew if it would be another five years if she saw her son again!

"Susanne, please," Crymson said, knowing it was better to concede defeat now, "you'll only make yourself more ill.”

“But—!" she tried to argue, but the look her husband gave her had her settle down. Fine... fine. She would be patient, she would stay here, extend her trip if she had to, so she could spend time with her child. "...Alright."

“Good—" Crymson stopped upon seeing Natalia out of the corner of his eye. He turned, looking at his niece, taking note how there wasn't an Oracle Knight at her side and instead some child who looked like he'd never held a sword in his life.

"Where have you been?" Crymson asked, "What happened to the Oracle Knight we asked to watch you?”

Natalia shivered at being snapped at. She saw Guy go pale—he must have been scared by her uncle, too! Uncle Crymson could be really mean sometimes.

"That Oracle Knight brought me to Cantor Cecil," she explained, putting herself between Guy and her uncle. "He told Cantor Cecil to take me on a tour of the cathedral, then left before Cantor Cecil could do anything."

Crymson's face was as red as his hair.

"And you didn't think to come find us?" he demanded of Guy, "Do you realize that my niece is the heir to the throne of Kimlasca? Do you realize how important her life is?”

Guy took an involuntary step back, his heart hammering in his chest while beads of cold sweat formed on the sides of his face. He couldn't speak, his breath would catch in his throat, and it felt so hard to breathe, like he was being smothered.

An intense ringing in his ears drowned out the Duke's voice, and he felt ready to vomit as the smell of blood hit his nostrils.

_'Show no mercy!'_

_'Look out!'_

_‘Mary!'_

"I-I did what was asked of me..." Guy managed to squeak out.

"Uncle! Leave Cantor Cecil alone!" Natalia demanded, stamping her foot. Crymson's mouth pressed into a firm line. He sighed and knelt before the little princess and took her hands in his.

"Natalia, please. Hasn't there been enough difficulty today?" he asked, "I'm glad that you're back safe and sound, but you cannot just go running off. Why don't you go back to our rooms with your Aunt?"

Natalia bowed her head, then looked up at her aunt. She looked so sick and unhappy. And her uncle's face was tight with worry.

“I'm sorry. I’ll go with Auntie,”

"Good girl," Crymson said, standing and leading Natalia back to Susanne.

"Cantor Cecil. See that you treat my family with some care in the future," he reminded Guy.

"Y-yes," he stammered, his mouth running dry. He kept his head bowed as the royal family took their leave, Susanne and Natalia going one way while Duke Fabre and Grand Maestro Mohs went another. When all alone, Guy squeezed his eyes shut and hot tears fell.

Dammit! Dammit, dammit, dammit!


	4. Hyperresonance

_ND 2011, Shadow Redecan_

The sounds of the sea filled the air, gentle waves lapping up against the rocky cliffside of Tataroo valley. Luke could hear the distant cries of gulls in the sky, and he watched as the delicate white flowers that dotted the upper cliffs fluttered in a gentle breeze. He took a seat along the edge of the cliff, gazing up at the great big moon. Tataroo valley was always so peaceful this time of night.

A sudden jerk had Luke snapping back to reality. The gold in his eyes vanished and he blinked, returning to the interior of his bedroom within the cathedral. Guy was standing over him.

"You fell into a Score trance again? They're happening more frequently now."

"Yeah, they are." Luke shook his head, still not used to the transition just yet. "I think I'm getting better at controlling it, though."

"Oh?" Guy scoffed. "Because I just had to shake you pretty hard to rouse you. What were you seeing this time, anyways?"

Luke sat upright on his bed, drawing his knees into his chest. "I was at Tataroo valley. It was nighttime, and the view of the ocean was really pretty.”

"Oh yeah?" Guy asked, reaching out to ruffle Luke's hair. 

Over the years, he'd gotten more comfortable with the young Scion—even if they still had to sneak in their visits. It was getting harder and harder to do now, especially with Luke's powers developing and his own rising through the ranks towards the title of God General.

"Pretty soon those travel magazines I brought you are going to be completely useless," he teased. “Then how am I going to keep you interested in talking to me, hm?”

Luke leaned forwards and gave Guy a playful push. "I'm not friends with you purely for the magazines. I mean, they are a perk—“

"Oh ho?" Guy whistled as he pushed the boy back, "I see how it is."

The two of them chuckled with one another, enjoying a rare minute of unrestrained mirth and companionship. Unfortunately, it was not meant to last long. Luke lowered his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.

"I take it you were sent to get me?" he asked, and Guy nodded.

"Yes. Van has your next lesson ready over in the library."

Luke huffed. "I'm so bored of sitting through lectures on fonic theory. I want to apply theory to practice already.” 

He was a gifted seventh fonist, yet his cousin was already leaps and bounds ahead of him when it came to things like healing artes. He wanted to catch up, dammit! 

“Hell, I’d sooner run through training drills with you than listen to ‘The Fundamentals of Fonons: The Basic Building Blocks of Life’ for the hundredth time.”

“First, language. You’ve got ten more years to go before you’re a proper adult who can use adult words.” Guy gave him a disapproving look.

Luke raised a brow, looking at his friend incredulously, “You’ve never _once_ sworn in your life before? You’ve got…” he stopped to count, “five more years to go yourself.”

“Second,” Guy ignored Luke’s question as he continued on, “you would _hate_ the dead sprints around the training yard."

"Yeah, probably," Luke agreed with a dry, resigned laugh.

“Regardless of your frustration, you're still expected."

Luke sighed in defeat, throwing his hands up into the air, “Alright, alright. I'm going already. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay." Guy smiled at him, bowed, and then exited.

Luke stared at the doorway for a moment, his room feeling too quiet and empty now that his friend was gone. He _really_ didn’t want to go to the library for this lesson…

As Luke forced himself to walk out of his room, a slight dull ache began to emanate from his temples that traveled to his ears and made them ring. He shook his head, telling himself to pay no mind. Headaches were an unfortunately common side effect to Score trances that were ended abruptly.

—

The cathedral was bustling with activity as everyone prepared for another holiday royal visit. The Duchess Fabre and Princess Natalia were due for a summer solstice visit in just under a month, and there was still so much to do.

Luke was fond of the summer solstice. Every year he’d stand on an upper balcony that granted him a far off view of Daath’s village square, where a large festival was held. People would drink, eat, and listen to wondrous music while dancing around a large bonfire at night. It always looked like so much fun, but there was no way he’d ever be allowed to go.

For one thing it was outside the cathedral, where he was forbidden from going. For another it looked fun, the very thing Grand Maestro Mohs and Fon Master Evenos seemed to hate with every fiber of their being.

He pressed onwards, continuing off towards the library when that dull ache turned sharp and stabbing. It was only for a split second, but he stopped and gasped audibly at the sudden pain. Then it went away as soon as it came, and he was left wondering if he’d really felt that.

As he took a moment to catch his breath, a soft hymn hit his ears, and Luke turned to look at a nearby door that was slightly ajar. Curiously he stepped over and peered in, seeing a young female recruit singing a hymn as she dusted the pews. Her voice rose and fell in waves, like the waves under the cliffs of Tataroo Valley.

The singing was enough to calm Luke, and he smiled, admiring the girl's voice. The way it reverberated off of the cathedral’s architecture was delightfully haunting, and provided a fun distraction.

His inner voice began to nag at him to continue to the library. Luke hated that his conscience was so morally uptight. He wanted to rebel at times, but with the entirety of the Order always around him there was no point.

Two years ago, Mohs had said that while he might be the Scion, he was too young to wield any real power. He didn’t fully understand that at the time, but now he was starting to.

_’…ke,’_

He nearly fell to his knees as another intense wave of pain gripped at his skull. Same as before, the severe headache was short lived, and he was left gasping for breath as he braced against the door jamb for support.

This didn’t bode well. If these headaches were going to continue there’d be no way he could make it through the end of his lesson. Going to bed and sleeping through any future pain was his preferred strategy of coping, since the Maestros denied him things like painkillers, and he wasn’t allowed to ask seventh fonists to cast healing artes.

When feeling steadier, Luke let go of the doorframe and pressed on, heading over to the library where Van was waiting for him. The commander was seated at a table with an organized mess of books spread out before him. 

Luke groaned at seeing the workload. "Do we have to do this? My head is really bothering me today.”

"I don't appreciate the attitude, Luke. If you want to learn how to cast fonic artes, you need a strong understanding of fonic theory."

"But I do understand fonons!" Luke argued. The sharp pain might have been gone, but that dull throb was absolutely back and it did not improve his mood.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Fonons and fonic theory are not the same thing," Van sighed. "Knowing the names and functions of the fonons is not enough. You need to know—in detail—how they interact with one another and the world around them, and how they can be manipulated. Especially now that your powers are developing."

“But we’ve gone over the _same_ book a hundred times now. Isn’t there something _new_ to learn?” He asked knowing full well it would be in vain. Yet despite that fact, he clung to the tiniest sliver of hope that there might be something else. 

Van gave him a look that promptly snuffed that hope out. ”Let's start by recapping with what we talked about last time. Can you do that for me, Luke?”

Luke plopped down into his chair with an exaggerated sigh, "Yes, sir."

He could barely pay attention as Van recited the text and then gave an example related to combat. 

“Soldiers and casters often work together on the battlefield, with casters channeling fields of fonons that soldiers would then activate with a strike arte, creating a more powerful move. For example, Fang Blade, a third fonon strike arte, when combined with a sixth fonon circle, creates Lightning Tiger Blade, a powerful sword strike charged with wind and light fonons. Many battles were won throughout history because soldiers strategized and used their knowledge to their advantage.”

“Are you going to _teach_ me how to perform Lightning Tiger Blade?” Luke asked under his breath with a pout.

“What was that?” Van asked, unamused.

“I just—what’s the point? What’s the point in any of this? Why do I need to learn these things when the Maestros and the Fon Master _won’t let me do anything_!” He could no longer contain his frustration. “I want to talk to people! I want to learn how to do things for myself!”

“Luke—“

“I asked you years ago to train me in swordsmanship like Guy and Mohs confined me to my room for a week. It’s not fair! I’m sick of meditations and books! I am so _bored_ all the time!” He confessed, the dull ache in his head now including pressure just behind his eyes. He shut them tightly and whined.

“Luke,” Van said sternly, reaching out to place a hand on the boy’s shoulder. Luke slapped it away from him, which surprised the commander greatly. “Luke! You did not just do that!”

Luke stared at him for a moment. The ringing in his ears came back louder this time, and he winced, grabbing at his head. He took in a stuttered gasp as it seemed like his whole head pounded.

“Can I _please_ be excused so I can lie down?” Luke begged.

Van watched him silently. Pale, sweating, eyes glassy; Luke certainly looked unwell. He pulled off his glove, using his hand to feel the boy's forehead. "Are you alright?"

"My head really hurts..."

With a sigh, Van closed the book he’d been reading from. “Go lie down and rest. We can discuss the topics of this conversation in more detail at a later date.”

"Thank you, Master," Luke very nearly cried from relief as he got up from his chair and slowly shuffled out of the library.

Unlike before, the pain in his head wasn’t going away. It was remaining a constant, building up and finding new ways to make him hurt. He’d made it to the beginning of the hallway that would lead back to the apartment blocks when that sharp pain came back.

He cried out and grabbed at his head, the headache so intense it buckled his knees. 

Why was his head hurting so badly?! It felt like someone was trying to crush it with a boulder! 

Tears pricked his eyes and he whimpered pathetically, wishing to just pass out at this point so he didn’t have to feel anything anymore.

_’Luke…’_

He gasped, hearing his own name echo around him. 

_’Heed my voice…’_

Luke hadn’t realized his vision started to tunnel until he felt hands on his back. He glanced off to the side to see who it was, and found that girl who’d been dusting the pews and singing hymns. Why was she touching him? She wasn’t supposed to be touching him.

“Your Holiness! Are you alright?” She was trying to help him back onto his feet.

“M-my…head…!” Luke barely managed to choke out.

The girl stepped around so she was facing the scion, and she knelt down so that she was level with him. “I’ll cast a healing arte and it should help with the pain.”

She held her hands out and began to channel seventh fonons.

—

Guy was going through his daily drills out in the training yard when he heard the explosion. Screaming shortly followed. He whipped around to face the source of the blast and stared, mouth agape, as a massive plume of smoke rose up into the air.

The Oracle knights rushed out of the barracks and towards the sound, only to have the Maestros push them back.

"Go back to your stations!" They commanded, but Guy found a way to slip through. The sound had come from the cathedral, near the library. If Van or Luke were hurt…!

Stepping into the cathedral was like stepping into a nightmare. A large hole was blasted through the wall and not far away lay a corpse of a young woman—or at least, what was left of her. A hole had also been blown through her head, so large she was nearly decapitated. 

Staggering backwards at the sight, Guy began to heave. 

What... what on Auldrant happened here?!

Luke was screaming hysterically over in the back corner, and from where Guy was standing, he could see Van had his arms wrapped tightly around the boy. Guy, knowing full well it would make him vomit again, looked back at the body, taking careful note how _clean_ the edges of the hole were. There was no sign of blood or brain matter anywhere.

The hole in the cathedral wall was the same—no visible rubble. It was as if... as if part of the wall had been completely obliterated without a trace.

Guy's eyes widened as a _horrible_ realization hit him. 

Hyperresonance had that kind of destructive power. He’d seen it first hand when Hod collapsed.

Shadow preserve them all…!

Someone grabbed Guy's arm, pulling him away.

"You can't be here! Everyone under Maestro rank is forbidden from the cathedral until further notice!”

“But—!” Guy struggled, trying to free his arm from this stranger’s grasp.

“Evacuate the building now!” they ordered, as they dragged Guy back outside.

—

The cathedral had been closed down, to everyone, for a week. Displaced families and Order members crowded Daath’s inns or stayed with the townsfolk until the all clear had been given. Rumors spread like wildfire that a fonon bomb had been detonated inside, and that it’d been a targeted attack against the Scion. Who could ever do something so cruel and hateful? 

—

Van approached his latest recruit’s room, opening the door to reveal a mess of fon tech. Blueprints lay scattered in an unorganized manner while scrap and parts piled up on almost every flat surface available. He glanced around, and found his target hunched over a work station in the corner of the room.

“Dist,” Van spoke, and the man stopped working, placing his tools down onto his table.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the commander,” he sat upright and spun in his chair to face Van, “to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“I’m in need of your expertise.”

Dist smirked, kicking one leg up and resting it over the other. “Naturally. Let me guess, it has to deal with the Scion’s budding powers? That was a nasty thing, that uncontrolled hyperresonance.”

“That it was.” Van nodded in agreement. “Even with my instruction, Luke has a hard time monitoring how many fonons to take in. A fon slot seal will help.”

“Ho?” Dist chuckled. “And how do the Maestros feel about that?”

“I believe they’ll be grateful no more holes will appear in their walls.” And workers. Luke was still traumatized over the death he caused. “Can you make it?”

“‘Can I make it?’” Dist parroted with an offended scoff, snatching a folded schematic out of Van’s hand. “You insult me. Of course I can make it. Though…” he trailed off as he gave the schematic a once over, “the materials required for such a device aren’t readily available. I’m not sure where I’d get my hands on a few of these components.”

“I have a mole in a Kimlascan research facility with access to these components. You’ll have them,” Van assured.

“This is why I followed you,” Dist hummed. He’d never get access to such high level fon tech after what happened with Jade and the Malkuth military. Dist studied the paper a bit longer. “A bracelet, huh? You want the kid to limit himself willingly.”

“A pawn you can’t control is no pawn at all,” Van stated, narrowing his gaze at the new God General. “See to it that it’s ready as quickly as possible. I still have much work to do with ‘His Holiness.’”

—

Luke squeezed his eyes shut, his face buried within his arms and knees as he hid in the corner of his bedroom. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop replaying the events of the explosion over and over in his head.

He was standing back in that hallway with a blizzard of gold encasing him. Power, pure raw power, welled up from deep within. What meager control he thought he had didn’t last long, and then—

“Her name was Alara Clemmence,” a voice spoke, and Luke grit his teeth. He looked up to find a very unwelcome guest standing in his doorway. “She was fifteen, and just started to work as a custodian to pay for nursing lessons so she could help take care of her grandmother.”

“Go away, Ion!”

Ion had also been brought to the Order as a small child, for his Score slated him to become the next Fon Master after Evenos passed. Luke had never been all that fond of him however, despite their similarities and ability to converse freely. Ion always put on a docile, agreeable face when around others, but Luke had seen several instances of how cruel he could be.

Like right now.

“I still can’t believe you blew her head off,” Ion laughed, dodging a pillow Luke threw at him. “What was it like, casting such a powerful hyperresonance? Could you see the life leave her eyes? I guess not since you blasted her in the face.”

“Shut up!” Luke screamed, feeling a rush of fonons surround him. Panic set in, and he hyperventilated as he attempted to make himself calm down. No, no, no! He could not set off another hyperresonance! Not again!

“Power like that is wasted on you,” Ion stated coldly before turning around, leaving Luke a shaking, crying mess.

—

Natalia tried not to fidget in front of her father. The only times she was called into his study like this, outside of their weekly visit when she summarized everything she'd learned in her lessons, were when something important was happening or she was in big trouble. Her nanny saw to relaying all other news and discipline to her.

"...Father?" she asked softly. It was a breach of protocol, for a princess to address the king without being addressed herself first, but Ingobert seemed reluctant to speak.

"Natalia," he said at last, "There... there has been a change of plans. There will be no visit to Daath.”

"But I've been good!" Natalia protested, "Father, I've been so good—I promise. I've learned all of my lessons by heart, please, I can show you—“

Ingobert held up his hand, and Natalia immediately stilled.

"I have no doubts about your achievements and your behavior," he said, "But this goes beyond you. There was... an attack in Daath, directed at the Scion. He's safe, thank Yulia, but a member of the Order was killed in the assassination attempt; a girl only a few years older than you. And so, until the threat is neutralized, the doors of Daath's cathedral will remain closed. Even to members of the Royal Family."

Natalia blinked, her whole body going cold as she tried to process the information. An assassination attempt? On Luke? And someone had died. And because of that, they would be barred from seeing Luke for Lorelei only knew how long!

"But Father—"

"This is not something that I have the authority to change," Ingobert said, "You know that. This comes from Daath."

"But he's all alone," the princess said as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Natalia, please—you're hardly a child any more. Control your emotions.” Ingobert frowned, "Yes, the Scion is alone, but this is for the best. The Score decrees it so."

Natalia blinked rapidly, staring at the floor, her fists clenched at her sides. "Permission to be excused, Your Majesty?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Permission granted," Ingobert said, dismissing his daughter with a wave of his hand. Natalia wasted no time in running out of the room. 

As soon as she was gone, Ingobert looked at the letter in his hands.

A hyperresonance. Yulia protect them all...

—

Locking herself in her room, Natalia made a beeline for her writing desk. She had to speak to Luke, even if it would be days before she got a response—did he even know that they weren't coming? Was he really okay? What had happened? Was there anything she could do?

The letter was written in record time, and Natalia didn't bother to re-draft it as she did with all of the others. The penmanship was atrocious, full of inkblots and misspellings, the words poured out in a stream of consciousness that hardly made for easy reading. She needed to know, needed Luke to respond. Even if she couldn't be with him, at least if she knew what had happened, maybe she could be of some comfort...

—

A knock on his doorway jarred Luke awake. The young Scion shot upright in bed before looking around in a dazed panic. He didn’t remember falling asleep, but then again he didn’t recall much of anything as of late unless it was a nightmare. 

He wrapped his arms around himself and answered, “Yes?” 

The door opened, and Luke felt a wave of relief flood over him at the sight of his teacher.

“Master!” Luke pulled himself up to his feet.

“I have a gift for you, Luke,” Van stepped into the bedroom and shut the door behind him. He pulled out a golden bangle inscribed with fonic writing, and handed it over to him. The young boy looked it over with a curious expression. “It’s what we talked about.”

“You mean?” Luke glanced up at Van, who nodded.

“That’s right. It’ll seal your fon slots and act as a fonic dampener. No more hyperresonances.”

Luke immediately shoved it onto his wrist. The fonic script shimmered momentarily, and then Luke gasped as he felt a blockage of some kind. It was intangible, but he felt… cut off from fonons, and it was a weird sensation.

As Luke squirmed, Van chuckled. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I just don’t want to hurt anyone again…” Luke shivered.

Van stared down at the vulnerable youth before him. Now was as perfect an opportunity he would _ever_ get. He had to play this carefully… 

Raising his brows, he feigned surprise and asked, “You mean, you still don’t know? Even with your new abilities you still haven’t read the Closed Score?”

“What? What do you mean?” Luke didn’t like the sound of that. There was something he didn’t know, and with the way his teacher shifted his tone, he knew that it couldn’t be good.

“The Closed Score. Think of it as… a secret Score that only the highest officials in Daath know. It holds many closely guarded secrets, information that can start wars. As Lorelei’s Scion, I thought you’d be able to read it.”

“…What does that have to do with me hurting people?” Luke asked warily, feeling dreadful anticipation forming in the pit of his stomach.

Van closed his eyes and breathed out slowly. "The young scion of Lorelei's power shall bring his people to the miner's city. There, the youth will turn power to calamity and be as a weapon of Kimlasca, destroying himself and the city. Thereafter, the land of Rugnica will be enveloped in war..." he quoted, before settling his gaze on Luke, "Luke, you are fated to do far worse than 'hurt people', and on a much greater scale than that."

That… that couldn’t be right.

No, the Maestros always talked about the prosperity he’d bring to the world and its people. Destroying himself and an entire city didn’t sound anything like the prosperity they’d been talking about all his life!

“When?” Luke asked, as he grabbed onto the bracelet tightly. “When does that happen?”

“ND 2018.”

Luke choked back a sob. He wouldn’t even live long enough to come of age…? 

Ah, so this is why Scorers are told to never reveal Death Scores…

—

The moment Guy heard that a letter had arrived for the Scion, he volunteered to deliver it—not that there was exactly many people to compete with for that task. The people were afraid of Luke and his power, and Guy couldn’t blame them.

Still, Guy hadn’t seen Luke since the incident, and he was worried. He wanted to know exactly what happened, and hopefully, he’d get those answers.

Practically sprinting through the corridors, Guy made his way up to Luke's apartment. The kid had been a ghost since they'd calmed him down—Guy wondered if he'd even eaten, given that no one could bear to get near him. He stopped before the familiar door and knocked.

"Luke?" he called, just loud enough to be heard by the rooms' occupant, "It's Guy. There's a letter for you, from Baticul.”

There was no response. Guy frowned, and tried knocking again—this time with more force. “Luke? You’ve got a letter from her highness.” 

Still no response. Was Luke in another Score trance?

Guy turned the knob and pushed the door open, seeing Luke sitting on his bed. No glowing eyes, so not a Score trance, which means that Luke elected to ignore him. That earned an annoyed huff from the blond.

“It’s rude to ignore people, Luke,” Guy said as he stepped in and held the letter out to him. “You’ve got a new letter from your cousin. I’m sure she’s worried about you, given what happened. I mean, I’m worried, too. No one’s seen you in days.”

Luke stared blankly at the letter before he silently grabbed it and took it from Guy’s hand.

Guy bit his lip. It wasn't like Luke to be this quiet. Then again, he had just been through a trauma. Guy's memories of the days after Hod were fuzzy at best, but he'd been told that he barely spoke a word.

"Are you… how are you holding up?" he tried again, noting the sloppiness of the letter Luke held. It had been hastily stuffed into the envelope, crinkling the paper where it would normally have been neatly folded.

Even still, there was no reply, and Guy watched as Luke read over the contents of this sloppy letter. From a distance, Guy could see the scribbles, inkblots, and smudged letters that adorned the page. No doubt, Natalia had written this while in an emotional rush. This was likely immediately after she’d learned about the explosion.

Finally, Luke broke the silence. “…Can’t even read this,” he muttered, scanning the text for something that made sense.

“Oh good, you can talk.” Guy frowned. “Luke, please say something to me.”

Luke glanced up at him. “I killed someone…”

“…I know.” 

“And I’m Scored to do so again…”

"Can you... do you know who it’s supposed to be?" he tried. This was the Scion of Lorelei, after all. Despite Luke's easy going nature, Guy didn't dare suggest defying the Score outright. Not unless...

"Van might—" he started, but his voice faltered. It wasn’t his place to say such things openly.

“I learned my Death Score,” Luke’s voice grew tight while his hands began to shake, “and I’m to kill _so_ many people…! I-I’m not, I’m not someone you want to be friends with!”

Luke finally understood why there had been so many strict rules for him growing up. It was for the best that he had no attachments to people. No family, no friends. No one to disappoint with his bloody fate.

He tore the letter up in his hands.

Not knowing what else to do for the poor kid, Guy closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Luke.

"It's too late for that," he said, "You're stuck with me now, for better or worse.”

Luke tensed within the unexpected embrace, still not used to the sensation of hugging, and initially he struggled to break free. His half-hearted protests went unheeded, and after a few moments the fight left him. Luke leaned into the hug despite his better judgement, and as he buried his face into Guy’s chest, he began to hate himself for finding comfort in the gesture.

—

Just as peace was finally beginning to return to Daath after the hyperresonance incident, upheaval struck again. The Fon Master had suddenly taken ill mere months later, and he lost the battle. The city itself shut down, and the townsfolk mourned collectively for their loss.

Ion was officially appointed to Fon Master two weeks after Evenos’ funeral, and Arietta his guardian.

—

_ND 2012, Undine Decan_

When it was reported that Daath's cathedral doors were open to the royal family of Kimlasca again, Natalia could hardly wait to set sail. It had been a year, and Luke hadn't answered a single one of her letters! She'd written to Pamela, and then to Guy, but it wasn't nearly the same, and both remained tight lipped about everything. 

At long last, Ingobert informed the princess that she would be able to see her beloved cousin again, and once more she wrote to him. This time the letter was short, the few words on the page written in a neat script.

_'I'm coming to visit. Please talk to me. I miss you.’_

—

Guy beamed proudly as he gazed upon himself in the mirror. His new uniform cut quite the figure, and it officially conveyed his standing as the newest God General. “Cato the Blazing,” he spoke aloud, trying out his new title. It still sounded a bit weird to him, but he knew he’d eventually get used to it.

He strapped his sword to his side and headed off to find Van for his first real assignment.

—

Luke stared down into his lap at the latest letter he’d received. Why was she still writing to him? He hadn’t responded to any of her letters in a year. Couldn’t she take a hint?

“—Hey, Luke?” The door opened up, and Luke jumped at the sudden voice.

“What happened to you knocking?” Luke snapped at Guy as he quickly folded up the letter.

“More often than not you’re in a Score trance these days,” Guy shrugged before pointing at the paper in Luke’s hands, “what you got there?”

“What are you wearing?” Luke asked in turn.

“My new uniform,” Guy grinned, “I was inducted as a God General last night.”

“Oh, congratulations,” Luke smiled vacantly at him, “you’ve worked hard for this.”

“That I did. That still doesn’t answer my question though. Is that another letter?”

“…Yeah,”

“Are you going to respond to it?”

Luke didn’t answer.

"Luke," Guy frowned, ”you know she started writing to me and Pamela, right? She just wants to hear from you.”

“And what should I tell her?” Luke asked.

“You don’t have to tell her anything you don’t want to,” Guy started as he took a seat next to the younger boy, “but she needs something, and you’ve got to give that to her. She’s your family and she’s concerned for you.”

“I don’t have much of a choice anyways. She’s coming here,” Luke sighed, showing Guy the letter. “I could just hide in my room, she doesn’t know the passphrase to activate the fonic elevator.”

“Luke,” Guy said in a disapproving tone.

“I know, I know…”

"Just spend some time with her," Guy said, "she hasn't seen or heard from you in over a year. She's probably pretty excited to be visiting again—she doesn't know what happened on that day. You know that they told the public that it was a fonon bomb, an assassination attempt, and I doubt King Ingobert told Princess Natalia the truth. She doesn't know why you suddenly shut her out."

He took the letter and scanned it. Just three sentences, begging for a response. Guy could imagine the princess writing this last letter as her hopes began to dwindle to nothing.

Luke grimaced. And to think two years ago, he couldn’t wait for family visits. He almost laughed at the irony.

—

Guy had been tasked with greeting the royal family when they arrived, as the Maestros were holding a conference amongst themselves and Van had matters to attend to with the Fon Master. His nerves were on edge, still remembering the last time they all visited, when Duke Fabre screamed at him just for doing what he’d been ordered to do.

Rem, it still pissed him off when he thought about it. The hypocrisy was unbelievable.

Now that he was a proper God General things would be different. 

He breathed out and stood at attention as soon as the royal carriage came into view.

King Ingobert was the first to disembark, followed by Duke Fabre and his wife. There was a slight delay, and Guy held his breath wondering whether or not Princess Natalia had made it. With an annoyed sigh, Duke Fabre handed the Duchess off to the king, and leaned into the carriage.

"Natalia, don't dawdle," he reprimanded the young princess, who was still staring out the opposite window, "I thought you were excited to visit?"

"What does it matter? He won't talk to me," Natalia said, not budging.

"Luke has been through a lot. I'm sure once he sees you things will change," Crymson said, extending his hand, "Come. Luke is waiting for us."

Reluctantly, Natalia took her uncle's hand and allowed herself to be drawn out of the carriage. Guy noted that she was much more gangly than the last time he saw her, and wondered if it would annoy Luke that the height difference between them had increased even more.

"Your Majesty, Your Graces, Your Highness," he said with a quick bow, "Welcome to Daath. I am Cato the Blazing and will be your guide for the time being, as the Maestros and Commandant Grants are currently in conference.”

“You?” Duke Fabre balked as he scrunched his face up. “Yes, I remember you. The cantor—“

“God General, now,” Guy cut him off before the Duke could re-air his grievances. “as appointed by the new Fon Master himself.”

“You have our most sincere condolences to the loss of Evenos,” Susanne said, “we were all saddened to hear of his passing.”

“Yes,” Ingobrert nodded, “we’d like to pay our respects to the late Fon Master as well, if the Order will permit it.”

“Evenos’ body has been entombed within the catacombs, but there is a large grave marker within the cathedral’s cemetery for the public to pray to,” Guy stated. “Would you like me to escort you there, or do you wish to speak with his holiness first?”

"With all due respect to the late Fon Master," Susanne said, "We are all very eager to speak with Luke. This visit is long overdue."

"Of course," Guy said, understanding. "Then please, follow me."

He turned and led the group into the cathedral, wondering if their visit would be worth the while. With Luke as emotionally shut off as he was these days, and with the chance he'd be in a Score trance, Guy wondered if the family would get to meet the boy they'd travelled all this way to see.

—

Luke had been perched atop his throne, practicing his daily meditations to the point where he straddled the line between consciousness and a Score trance. Taking deep, measured breaths, Luke exerted enough control to keep himself from slipping into the Score and getting lost within it. The fon slot seal he elected to wear at all times did its job fairly well, minimizing the intake of fonons. Now more than ever, Luke felt like he was starting to get control of his abilities.

And then his family walked in.

Hearing their voices made him lose focus, and suddenly he was somewhere else. The countryside, it looked like; a small hamlet full of farms and livestock. Chickens ran around by his feet while the penned up rappigs rolled in their mud bath. There was a small market set up near the rear of the village, selling what looked like the freshest produce Luke had ever seen—

“—ke?”

Luke blinked, then shook his head as he snapped back to reality. He was left dizzy after exiting the trance so abruptly. Glancing down, Luke saw the expressions of concern on his mother and father’s faces, and guilt stabbed away at him.

He was just going to die in a few years and cause them unnecessary grief. Why did they have to care about him?

“Mother, Father, Uncle…” Luke said softly, before his sights finally landed on his cousin. Seeing her made his insides feel like they were twisting up into knots.

Natalia remained quiet, resigning herself to the fact that her cousin wouldn't even deign to address her. That was just how things were going to be.

“Are you alright? You look pained,” Susanne asked in concern, and Luke shook his head to allay her worries.

“Just a little dizzy. I’ll be fine.”

"Are you feeling well? Are you eating enough?" Susanne pressed. 

"He's a growing boy, Susanne, I'm sure he's eating well," Ingobert chuckled before looking back up at his nephew, trying to reconcile the fact that he was a walking weapon of mass destruction, "You've gotten taller, Luke. You'll be a fine young man yet.”

Ah, a comment about his height. Normally Luke would be thrilled to hear others acknowledge the fact that he was growing, but he could only muster a half-smile and empty thanks for his uncle. Why did it matter if he was growing, if he was going to die at seventeen?

Guy winced from his spot off to the side. He could see the frustration and disappointment building within the royal guests.

“Perhaps a nice cup of tea in the gardens are in order?” Susanne suggested. “We can all catch up and—“

“I’m sorry, Mother, but I really need to finish my meditations—“

“Don’t be rude, Luke,” Crymson scolded with a disapproving tone. “We’ve come all this way to spend time with you.”

“I know, but—“

“No buts. Now is family time. You haven’t even addressed your cousin.” Crymson gestured to Natalia, and Luke made a subtle face. The princess hardly seemed fazed at Luke's expression, except for a slight souring of her own. She turned and looked away.

"Uncle, if His Holiness chooses not to address me, that is his right," she said coldly.

"Natalia," Ingobert scolded, "Don't be difficult. You've been looking forward to this trip for months. Don't ruin it."

Natalia's nose wrinkled, and she turned back to give Luke a deep curtsy.

"Please forgive my impudence, Your Holiness.”

Luke opened his mouth to say something, to remind her how much he hated formalities, but he stopped. There really wasn’t any point in arguing, it’d all be wasted energy in the long run. It was better this way, to have Natalia at an arm’s length and addressing him formally. No familiarity, no friendship. If she was mad at him, she wouldn’t be sad when his fate was realized.

“…It’s fine,” Luke finally settled on, sinking into his seat a bit.

“Well, shall we go for tea?” Susanne asked again, attempting to shift away from the awkward note the conversation had turned to. “I want to hear about all the things you’re able to see in the Score now!”

“Yes, that does sound quite interesting,” Ingobert agreed.

Luke let out a long, drawn out sigh before he got off his throne. “Alright.”

The little group made their way out to the gardens and Guy stayed a respectful distance behind—something that was not made easy by Princess Natalia hanging back as the three adults in the group tried to engage Luke in conversation. She no longer looked around the cathedral with awe and excitement, instead keeping her gaze at a point far in the distance.

"So you've been made a God General," she said softly, and it took Guy a moment to notice she was actually speaking to him.

"Er, yes. Not long ago," he replied. Where was this conversation going?

"Such a high rank, and an honor for someone so young," the princess continued, "But do you know why he is like this?"

"Like what, your highness?"

Natalia stopped in her tracks, forcing Guy to test his reflexes lest he crash into her. The proximity between them was enough to make the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, but the venomous glare she leveled at him was a knife to the gut. 

When he didn't have an answer for her, she turned away.

“Never mind," she said, walking briskly to catch up to her family.

Guy stood in place for several moments as his heart rate slowed back to normal. That cold, calculating manner the princess held was something that would haunt his dreams for nights to come. If she was like this now, what would she be like as an adult?

He shivered at the thought.

—

The royal family took seats around a small table, which had been set up in the corner of the cathedral’s gardens in a nice patch of shade. The view from their new seats boasted a wide variety of flowers, as well as the pillar monument in the center of the garden. A small sliver of the training yard could also be seen—Guy chuckled to himself as he watched new recruits struggling to finish their sprints.

The new God General continued to stand off to the side, bored out of his mind. When he’d been appointed to his new position he thought he’d finally be sent out on real missions, not play bodyguard and escort like some common Oracle Knight. Still, despite his new rank and power, being around the Duke and King set him on edge.

He rested his right hand on the hilt of his sword and exhaled slowly. Just relax…

“So what did you see when we first arrived?” Ingobert asked, and Guy glanced over to Luke.

“Huh? Oh, uh, I’m not sure where it is. But it was somewhere rural. Lots of farms and animals.”

"That sounds like Engeve," Susanne said, smiling at her son, "It's a town in Malkuth where much of the produce for Auldrant is grown. I've heard that it's beautiful, if a bit... pastoral."

"What else have you seen?" Ingobert questioned, "Surely, there must be something that caught your attention better than farmland and scenery?"

"Father, perhaps His Holiness enjoys pastoral scenes," Natalia said lightly, sipping at her tea. "Surely the Scion of Lorelei would enjoy some perfectly peaceful views and communing with nature. He is far above any silly mortal enjoyments.”

Luke frowned deeply at that remark, but he refrained from commenting. Instead he grabbed his own tea cup and took a sip. Mm—still too bitter. He set the cup down and reached for the bowl of sugar cubes, and Crymson laughed.

“I think there’s still a few ‘mortal enjoyments’ that he’s fond of.”

“Quite.” Ingobert nodded. “Still, my question stands, Luke.”

Luke hesitated for a moment. “Well, I still don’t have all that much control,” he admitted sheepishly, holding onto his teacup with both hands. “I’ve been working on recognizing when a trance is about to happen, and stopping it. Or breaking out of a trance without outside interference. I don’t get to choose what I see, unless I’m reading a specific Score.”

“That sounds difficult,” Susanne said.

“It… can be. But I’m learning.”

“Well, what are some of the things you have seen then?” Ingobert asked again, growing just a bit impatient.

“Well,” Luke started, glancing up at the sky, “there was a circus, full of all kinds of performances and acts I never knew existed. A lady walked across this thin rope really high in the air, and there was a man that juggled swords that were on fire!”

Ingobert chuckled.

"Ah, still a boy," he said, "though the circus is a wondrous thing that many adults also enjoy. Natalia has been begging me to allow her—"

"Father!" Natalia said, her face scarlet, "...I don't beg! I simply attempted to persuade you to allow me to attend when it was in town."

"Out of the question," Ingobert said, "it's much too chaotic in a circus tent for you to attend, even with a retinue of White Knights—especially in these uncertain times. Are the 'silly mortal enjoyments' provided for you in the castle not enough?”

Luke snickered at that. It was nice that the intended insult she used got twisted around and thrown back at her. He picked up his teacup and took a nice long drink, enjoying this brief moment of reprieve. Natalia shot a glare at her cousin, her heart aching with betrayal.

“Was there anything else exciting that you’ve seen?” Crymson asked, taking attention away from the princess’ embarrassment.

“What was it called…?” Luke went into thought for a moment. “Oh! The Might of Fight! That strength festival held in Baticul every year. The coliseum gets really busy with all of those monster fights, and the commons are full of festival tents selling food and drink. The champion I saw was some guy named Rojeck?”

“That was eight years ago.” Ingobert’s brows raised. “Traditionally the winner of the festival is granted an audience with the King.”

“So I was… three when he competed?”

“Yes.” Ingobert nodded. “How fascinating that you’re able to view past events, too.”

“The Might of Fight is a bit violent to see for someone your age though…” Susanne said with worry.

Luke glanced down at his hands. He’s had human blood on them for the last year. That was far worse than a monster killing festival.

"Susanne, don't baby him," Crymson said, "There are recruits younger than him in the Oracle Knights right now."

Guy's hand twitched. 

Like that made it any better! 

No one in their right mind would send their kid to the Oracle Knights unless they had no other choice, and here Duke Fabre was talking like it was normal!

The conversation carried on at a slow pace, and lasted well after the the tea had been enjoyed. Guy still stood at attention, his feet hurting a little from being in the same spot for well over two hours. Honestly, how could a tea party last for so long? And he wasn’t the only one uncomfortable—both children looked fairly miserable, for different reasons. The adults seemed either blissfuly unaware, or content to ignore it. He wasn’t sure which was worse.

Finally, Ingobert requested that Guy lead them to the cemetery, so that the family may pay their respects to the late Fon Master. Guy was happy to oblige, grateful for the chance to move.

He brought them to the cemetery, full of grave-markers for notable Order officials. A large fonstone monument had been erected in the center, with a plaque that stated an epitaph for Evenos.

Luke stared at the fonstone and watched as the fonic script shimmered beneath the surface of the glass. He could feel that familiar presence of the Score, tugging at the edges of his consciousness.

“Would you like to say a few words?” Ingobert asked, and Luke blinked.

“Huh?” He turned to look at his uncle.

“For Evenos. You were the closest one to him.”

“Um…” Luke stammered, trying to find words. “…Fon Master Evenos was… strict. I never understood why he was so hard on me, and I resented him for it. Now I realize, too late, that he was like that because he wanted me to be my best, and I’ll never get the chance to thank him for it. He was strict, but fair. And he will be missed.”

“Not a traditional prayer, but effective,” Crymson said. 

After a small handful of other prayers said by the royal family were given, Guy offered to escort them back inside. Susanne elected to stay behind for a little while longer, saying she’d catch up with them.

When alone, Susanne glared at the monument. “It was your orders that ripped Luke out of my arms and imprisoned him here. Rot in hell!” 

She spat on the grave before walking away.

__

It only took Guy a half a day to get sick of the way Luke and Natalia kept pushing one another away. Now that they were in the same place, there was no need for them to be ignoring each other like this, dammit!

As soon as the adults decided that Susanne needed rest and Ingobert and Crymson needed air, Guy made his move.

"Princess Natalia?" he called, gently knocking on the young girl's door, "Could you please come with me? It's about His Holiness."

The door flew open almost immediately, and Guy jumped back when he found Natalia standing just inches from him.

"Some God General you are," she muttered, crossing her arms, "What's this about Luke?"

“Ah…hah, y-yes..." Guy stammered. His heart was racing and he could barely catch his breath. "It's just... could you pl-please follow me?"

The princess raised an eyebrow, but nodded without a word before she followed after him as he made his way down the hall. "You didn't answer my question earlier, what’s this about Luke?”

"That answer isn't mine to give you, your Highness," Guy said, glad to have his breathing under control as he lead Natalia to the fonic elevator, "Now, step onto the platform? Good. Knock loud when you get there—he might be in a trance."

“What—?"

Before she could ask any more questions, Guy spoke the passphrase, and she was gone.

When the lights died down, Natalia found herself standing somewhere unfamiliar—a part of the cathedral she’d never seen before. Just a ways in front of her was a doorway, and it seemed to be the only thing around. A bit of panic shot through her as she stomped her foot against the elevator pad, trying to get it to light up again.

Right, it required a code of some kind to work. Curses, she hadn’t heard what Guy had said clearly. The only options she had at this point were to either stand there in defiance until someone came and got her, or to see what lay beyond the door.

Theoretically, her cousin was behind the door.

With an annoyed yet resigned sigh, Natalia stepped off the platform and knocked loudly on the door as per Guy’s instructions.

No response.

Natalia pounded at the door this time, still no response. Frustration getting the better of her, she pushed the door open to reveal a tiny, plain bedroom. Luke was sitting on his bed in a trance just as Guy predicted, which meant that Luke wasn’t aware that she was here just yet. This was a chance to snoop around and get better insight on her cousin.

But, looking around, there just wasn’t anything of note. No trinkets, no decor, his whole wardrobe consisted of the same white and blue tunic that he always wore. The only things that were even remotely personal was a small patchwork plush toy on top of a dresser that Pamela must have made for him (she recognized the design back from when she visited her apartment), and a diary that sat open on his desk.

Looking at the diary, Natalia bit her lip. Even if she woke him, she doubted Luke would talk to her. He would probably just tell her to go back to her room. Guiltily, she crept over to the desk and picked up the diary.

_Undineday 36, Shadow Decan ND 2012_

_I don’t know what to do… I don’t know how I can face everyone knowing what I know. I’ve been trying to prepare for their arrival but… I’m scared. Would they hate me if they knew the truth? Would they be sad? I cause Mother enough grief as it is…_

That was… very worrying. Morbid curiosity got the better of the young princess and she thumbed through the pages, finding an earlier entry.

_Remday 12, Gnome Decan ND 2012_

_It doesn’t seem to matter how much time passes. I keep seeing her in my ~~dreams~~ nightmares. They’re nightmares. I often wake up screaming still._

Her? Who was ‘her?’

Natalia hurriedly turned pages back, seeing depressing entry after depressing entry, going all the way back until the previous year when she stopped upon a page that stood out from the others.

It was marked on the date the explosion happened.

_Loreleiday 7, Shadow Redecan ND 2011_

_I couldn’t control it. I killed her._

What the....? But her father said it was a fonon bomb—an assassination attempt! This sounded like... like it was something that Luke had done. What did he mean 'I couldn't control it'? Was it something about his powers?

Natalia looked back at her cousin. She couldn't believe that he had killed someone—probably the girl everyone said had died in the explosion. Hesitantly, Natalia put the diary down and stepped towards Luke.

"Luke...?" she said softly, putting her hand on his. It was against protocol, but she wasn't sure how else to wake him. "Luke, can you hear me?”

The light touch was enough. Luke’s hand twitched beneath her fingers, and then a moment later his eyes were back to their familiar shade of green. Those eyes then widened in surprise to see his cousin of all places in his room!

“What the—?!” Luke jerked his hand back. He scooted away from her until his back was pressed up against the wall. “Why are you—? How did you even get up here?!” His voice cracked as he tried to regain some composure. It wasn’t fair Natalia got the drop on him like this, while he was vulnerable in a trance!

Natalia drew back as well, her guilt doubling, then tripling as she saw her cousin react to her like some kind of cornered wild animal. She clasped her hands in front of her, her eyes downcast.

“I-I got lost," she lied, "I... I wanted to see you, and I ended up here. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you, and I know I'm not supposed to touch you.”

Luke stared at her for a long moment. “…You got lost?” he asked. She nodded. “You need a password in order to operate the fonic elevator to even get here. There’s no possible way you got lost.” Which meant that… Dammit, Guy… He’d be having words with him later for this.

No longer startled, Luke relaxed a bit and looked at his cousin, only to look past her when he noticed that his diary was askew. He leapt up to his feet and hurried over, grabbing at the book to see where the page was now open to. Anger and shame burned at him. 

“You read this?!” He snapped at her, closing the diary and holding it close to his chest.

"Well, what was I supposed to do—ask you what you’ve been doing for the last year?" Natalia snapped right back, guilt turning to hot anger, "You won't talk to me! You won't even say hello after we haven't spoken in over a year! Do you know how worried I was, how worried everyone was?"

“That doesn’t make what you did right!”

Natalia’s hands clenched into fists, but she quickly released them, knowing full well that yet another fight would get them nowhere. She had to switch tactics if she wanted him to open up. 

“It was an accident, wasn't it?" she asked more gently, "That explosion…"

He faltered, his expression shifting rapidly from anger to hurt. Natalia’s chest ached to see the fear in his eyes. He’d been so scared for so long, and he had no one to share that with.

“Luke, please… please talk to me.”

Luke cast his gaze down to the floor and felt his mouth run dry. 

“…My head really hurt that day,” he started, clutching the diary so tight his knuckles turned white. “I… I couldn’t move, it hurt so bad. A girl, she… she tried to help me by casting a healing arte…”

“Take your time,” Natalia encouraged.

Luke’s voice started to tremble. “I-I don’t know what happened… my fon slots opened and I was _drowning_ in seventh fonons. A-and then… I set off a hyperresonance and she… she was standing right in front of me…”

Natalia gasped. She’d heard tales of hyperresonances before as a rare phenomenon that occurred when two seventh fonists interacted. She’d no idea they could be so _destructive!_

“I'm sorry," she said softly, "It must have been so scary, and sad. I... But that still doesn’t explain why you won't talk to me, though. You—I know you didn't do it on purpose. Why won't you talk to me? We’re—we used to be friends.”

Luke sucked in a breath, grateful he’d been smart enough to omit writing anything related to his Death Score in his journal. 

He could handle having her know about the hyperresonance, but there was no way he could allow her to know about his impending fate. She’d tell his parents, they’d raise hell with the Order, and there would be lots of fighting he didn’t want to deal with.

Luke turned to finally look at her, and her gentle, empathetic smile pulled on heartstrings he hadn’t been aware of. He set the diary back down onto the desk and used his free hand to scrub at his eyes.

“I thought it’d be easier if you hated me instead of feared me, like everyone else…”

"But I... I don't hate you. Or fear you," Natalia said, confused at Luke's thought process. "You're family, and I love you. I missed you so much, and I was really sad. I thought that I'd done something wrong..."

Throwing protocol out the window (and honestly, she’d never strictly followed protocol anyways), she reached out to Luke and pulled him into her arms. He gasped as he went stiff within the embrace. Such an act of affection… Large, hot tears streamed down his face and he took in a stuttered breath. After a long moment, he wrapped his arms around her in turn and held onto her tightly as he squeezed his eyes shut.

“…Thank you,” he managed to whisper, and the two of them held one another in a long, comfortable silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guy's God General title is derived from the music term "acciaccato" which means broken down or crushed, and the Blazing comes from his mystic arte Razing Phoenix.


	5. The Coronation

_ND 2014: the Emperor of Malkuth shall pass in his sleep after the first harvest, and Grand Chokmah shall deeply mourn his loss. When the frosts come and waters chill, the hidden prince shall ascend the throne and bring about a new era for Malkuth._

—

_ND 2014, Luna Redecan_

Luke stared wide eyed at the Grand Maestro. He didn’t think he heard the man right.

“I’m serious,” Mohs stated, his hands clasped behind his back. “Malkuth has petitioned your presence for the coronation, and we’re granting it.”

Luke continued to stare. “I… I _really_ get to leave the cathedral…?” He’d been almost too afraid to _ask_ lest Mohs change his mind.

“Yes,” Mohs confirmed with a nod, “Fon Master Ion and his guardian, Arietta, will be in the accompaniment as well. Guy will act as your own personal guard, he’s practically that already,” he muttered that last bit as he started to pace about. “The delegation ship will leave next week, and you’ll be in Grand Chokmah for a total of three days.”

Three days. Three days of _freedom_ from the cathedral! 

Finally, a chance to explore the outside world that was not from within the confines of the Score!

“I promise you I won’t disappoint!” Luke beamed.

—

“I don’t like this, Van.” Ion scowled at the commandant.

“The Emperor-to-be specifically requested Luke be present for the ceremony,” Van repeated himself with an annoyed look. “He’ll be under constant watch, you needn’t worry.”

Ion crossed his arms and leaned up against a nearby desk, drumming his fingers against his arm. “He’s never set foot outside, no one is allowed to talk to him, and Mohs thinks it’s a great idea to throw him into a coronation ceremony?”

"He has to go outside _sometime_ , Fon Master.” Van pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “Sooner or later the Maestros would force him outside as to not raise suspicions when it comes time to send him to Akzeriuth. Besides, think of the larger picture—this is sure to infuriate the Kimlascan Royal family. Malkuth and Kimlasca being at odds plays directly into our plans."

Ion sighed, "You're sure this will go well?"

"Of course, Fon Master. I am a man of my word."

Ion narrowed his gaze and tilted his head slightly. “That remains to be seen.”

Van raised his brows. “Oh? It’s not like you to doubt.”

“We’re running out of time.”

“Patience, Fon Master. Dist has been working tirelessly to—“

“What part of ‘running out of time’ did you not understand? I don’t have the _luxury_ of patience!” He slapped his hands down onto the desk. “The one you sent to me was so pathetic I dismantled its fonons _myself_.”

The two stared at one another in a tense silence, neither backing down. 

“Go to the coronation,” Van finally spoke, “another one should be completed by the time you get back.”

Ion shuffled off in an angry huff, muttering something about fodder for Mt. Zaleho under his breath as he left the darkened room.

—

The highly anticipated day of departure had arrived, and Luke stood before the front doors of the cathedral. He was so excited he could hardly stand still. 

Finally…! Finally!

“You look like you’re about to pass out from excitement,” Guy commented with a chuckle as he approached his charge. Taking note that Fon Master Ion and Arietta were just outside the doorway coordinating with the Oracle Knights, Guy concluded that it’d be safe to speak with Luke for the time being. 

“I just can’t believe it,” Luke breathed out, “I’m really allowed to leave…”

He would be allowed to pass through those doors without anyone stopping him, without the Maestros yelling at him. It was such a foreign concept to think about he struggled to wrap his mind around it.

“I hate to be the one to tell you this,” Guy spoke up as he stepped around to Luke’s side, “but getting to the coronation requires actually stepping outside.” He gestured to the open threshold.

Luke took in a shallow breath and laughed nervously. “I know, I know. I just… I feel like I’ll try to take that step forward, and the doors will slam in my faAACE—!” He yelped as he felt a rough shove to his back. 

Guy had given him a hearty push, and Luke stumbled forwards through the doors and out onto the cathedral’s steps.

He froze upon realizing that, for the first time since he’d been brought to Daath as a newborn, he was now outside of the cathedral. His eyes widened as his heart started to race, waiting for the moment someone would jerk him out of this trance, and he’d awaken back inside as he always did.

But that moment didn’t come.

Cautiously he opened up, taking another step forward as he marveled the world around him. And then he felt it, a light breeze brushed up against his skin and he shivered. 

Whenever he was in a trance, he was incorporeal—never actually there. He could see and hear things, but touch, taste, scent—all these factors were lost to him.

This was real.

He shivered again, this time from a newfound joy.

“Your Holiness,” Ion spoke, acknowledging him with his false pleasantness that set Luke’s teeth on edge. “Are you ready to depart?”

Luke hesitated, eyeing the new Fon Master warily before his gaze drifted to Arietta behind him. He’d vaguely known of the feral girl that had been brought in a few years prior, and had seen her a few times ever since Ion became Fon Master, but this was the first time he’d really been around her for any length of merit.

A nearby Oracle Knight misread Luke’s expression and moved quickly to rectify the situation. 

“Bow, girl!” He shoved Arietta’s head down so hard she fell to the ground. “You’re in the presence of the Holy Scion! Show him the respect he’s due!”

Luke bit back the urge to snap at the Knight for doing such a thing, and instead leveled him a nasty glare, which had the Oracle Knight stammering.

“B-but your Holiness—! She—“

Ion stepped forward, gripping his ceremonial staff tightly. “If you’re to lay another hand on my guardian you’ll lose it,” he threatened with that soft voice and innocent smile.

The Oracle Knight sputtered a non-apology and quickly vacated the premises. Ion stooped down to extend a hand to his guardian. “Are you alright, my pet?”

“I-Ion… Thank you,” she said, accepting his hand as she stood back up.

"Of course, my pet," Ion smiled, gently stroking Arietta’s pink hair. "We should get going, the Malkuth delegation will be expecting our ship."

"Yes, Fon Master," Guy said with a quick bow, "Ah, there's the carriage."

Seeing to it that the small group was loaded in, Guy pulled himself up next to the driver in order to serve as a lookout.

As the carriage pulled off into the city of Daath, Luke sat right up against the doorway, his face glued to the window. While everything was new and exciting, it was the citizens of Daath who fascinated him the most. They wore no uniforms of the Order, and everyone mingled indiscriminately as they went about their day.

The carriage turned a corner and they passed by a row of shops. Luke grinned as he caught a brief glimpse of all the different kinds of colorful goods for sale. The carriage had to come to a stop, however, as a large group of people passed by on the road in front of them. Luke craned his neck to try and get a better angle to see what was happening when a man, who’d been standing on the nearby curb, saw Luke’s red hair.

It didn’t take much for him to piece together who Luke was.

“S-Scion!” He yelled out, pointing at the window of the carriage. “It’s the Holy Scion!”

A woman next to him gasped before dropping down to her knees, reciting prayers. Others took notice, following suit. The faithful began to flock towards the carriage, voicing their praises and woes in a cacophony. Luke scrambled back away from the window as they rushed towards him, and Guy yelled at the driver to continue onwards, never mind the people in front of them.

The carriage lurched forward, horses braying as they took off into a run, nearly trampling several of the faithful who had gotten too close. 

Luke breathed heavily, his hands gripping the leather of the seat as his heart rate started to slow down. That’d been terrifying! He’d never had so many people come after him like that before.

“Well that was certainly fun,” Ion smirked.

Luke swallowed hard before giving the Fon Master a pointed look. “Speak for yourself.”

“Do you think Grand Chokmah will be any better?” Ion asked. “The whole world worships you.”

"You will be careful in Grand Chokmah, won't you, Ion?" Arietta questioned, her voice barely audible above the sounds of the crowd and the carriage wheels, "Everyone loves you, too."

"I'll be just fine in Grand Chokmah," Ion responded, petting Arietta's hair again, "I have you to protect me, don't I?"

"Yes, Ion. Always."

"Yes, what a good pet you are," the Fon Master said as the carriage rattled onwards towards Daath Bay and the awaiting ship.

—

The ship was _huge_ , far, far bigger than anything Luke had anticipated. He’d seen diagrams of ships in books, and he knew factually that they were large, but it was another thing to experience it in person!

As the carriage came to a stop and the doors opened, Luke hopped out first. The sounds of waves were similar to what he’d heard in Tataroo Valley through the Score, but what caught him off guard was the smell. The air had a thick, salty quality that Luke couldn’t quite figure out if it was aromatic or pungent.

“Why does it smell so salty…?” he wondered aloud as he looked out at the water.

“The ocean is saltwater,” Guy supplied in a whisper as he stood next to Luke.

Luke stared at the water. “…No way. That can’t _all_ be saltwater.”

Ion snickered as he walked past. “Didn’t your teacher ever actually teach you?”

Guy tried not to grimace. He definitely couldn't rebuke the Fon Master, but damn if he didn't want to. "This way, Your Holiness," he murmured with a low bow, gesturing Luke towards a gangplank. 

Luke stood close by Guy once they stepped onto the deck. The excitement of being out in the world was still there, but now that he was on the ship, he was committed to doing this. Going to an entirely different country to watch over a coronation ceremony… If the common folk of Daath reacted so strongly to the very sight of him, what would the people of Malkuth be like?

He could feel eyes from the sailors on him. They tried to act coy about it while performing their tasks, but Luke knew.

“I want to go to my cabin,” Luke said softly.

“Are you sure?” Guy asked, taking note of Luke’s body language. Closed off, hiding near someone trusted—Luke was overwhelmed; he couldn’t blame him. “Alright, let’s go.”

—

Luke awoke to the sound of bells ringing, and he shot upright in bed wondering what the heck was going on. Judging by the numerous pairs of footsteps he could hear through the walls, it was something important. He hurried out of bed and slipped on his shoes, jogging through the hall until he came to the deck of the ship.

“—WHOA!”

Luke ran over to the railing and grabbed hold, leaning forwards with the biggest smile he could possibly make. On the horizon, he saw it, Grand Chokmah. He finally understood why it was called the floating fortress; the tall walls that surrounded the city reminded Luke of the coliseum in Baticul.

Luke held his breath as the ship approached the city, passing under a massive gate that allowed them access to the port. He couldn’t believe his eyes at seeing the architecture Grand Chokmah boasted. Everything was so elegant! It was nothing like the more traditional uniform stone gray structures of Daath; these were gorgeous buildings and towers of ivory and aquamarine.

The ship pulled into port and the engines were cut. A gangway was lowered, and a large mass of Malkuth soldiers assembled on the dock. Ion disembarked first, followed by his guardian, greeting the soldiers and discussing matters regarding their arrival. Luke’s grip on the railing tightened as he stared down at the soldiers below.

He was really, actually here!

“Your Holiness,” Guy spoke from behind. Luke glanced over his shoulder to look at him. “Shall we depart?”

Luke swallowed hard before silently nodding.

—

The carriage ride in Daath had been exciting, but the carriage ride in Grand Chokmah was something else entirely. Luke’s eyes sparkled with wonder and excitement as the carriage wended its way through the floating capital of Malkuth. That ivory and aquamarine architecture was everywhere, and there were so many aqueducts flowing throughout the city that the sound of rushing water could be heard wherever they went.

“It really is beautiful,” Arietta murmured, and Luke glanced over to her. “I’ve never seen anything like this before, either.”

Luke gave her a small smile and nodded before turning his gaze back out the carriage’s window.

—

The carriage pulled up before the imperial palace, and Luke gawked. It was smaller than the cathedral, but it still held impressive stature. It was tall, and built to match the rest of the city, with decorative pillars and fancy tile work. A massive waterfall stretched out behind it, sprays of mist catching and refracting the sunlight.

Luke exited the carriage and stared in wonderment, oblivious to the bustle around him. What was out there in the rest of the world that he still hadn’t seen yet?

“Your Holiness,” Ion said and Luke directed his attention to the Fon Master standing next to him, “It’s time we head in.”

“Right,” he said softly, following after the Fon Master as they entered into the palace.

Inside, Malkuth’s palace was awash with shades of blue, making it almost blend in with the sky and water that could be glimpsed through the large windows. Currently, servants were busy decorating the interiors with banners and garlands, many of them laced with gold threads that glittered in the light. However, when the Fon Master and Scion entered the building, the activity stilled.

"Your Eminence. Your Holiness," a steward said, stepping forward with a low bow, "Thank you for blessing us with your presence. It is an honor to have you presiding over his highness' coronation."

"Of course," Ion said with a small nod, his gentle smile on for all to see, "Yulia and Lorelei are smiling down upon your country, it is only natural that we are here."

At the back of the group, Guy was trying to remember how to breathe normally. Grand Chokmah was certainly more cosmopolitan than Hod, the architecture ever so slightly different, but every now and then a piece of masonry or a particular curve of a street caught his eye and gashed open old wounds. 

With all of the guards around, he entertained the idea of stepping away to take a few moments to collect himself. Ion and Luke would be safe for just that long, especially with Arietta here. But then, someone carrying an armload of flowers entered the main chamber, disrupting the stillness, and suddenly Guy's heart was in his throat.

_Pere?_

Time had definitely worn the man down but… but there was no mistaking him. Guy was looking at his former sword instructor.

The world around him seemed to dissipate as he focused on Pere, and the elderly man did a double-take as he caught a glimpse of the blond out of the corner of his eye. Their eyes met, and Pere stared at him in turn.

“Master Gai—“

“Cato!” Ion called, and Guy turned to face the Fon Master. “Don’t fall behind!”

“Sorry!” Guy jogged to catch up with the Daathic group, and Pere stood back, clutching the flowers tightly.

—

Up a curved staircase and past a set of double doors lay the audience hall of the palace. So much more refined compared to the throne room in Baticul, Luke thought as he turned to look every which way. He stopped upon seeing a tall man with long blond hair and tanned skin. He was speaking with a small group of men, a few wearing Malkuth military uniforms, and others fine court attire.

The conversation they’d been having ended upon taking notice of him and Luke swallowed hard, preparing himself to be mobbed like back on the carriage in Daath.

The blond man’s eyes lit up. “I can’t believe it! My request actually worked?! I didn’t think Daath would allow it!”

“Is that really…?” A man spoke up from behind him as he eyed Luke.

“Your highness,” Ion smiled, “It is an honor to be here.”

"The honor is all mine," the blond man said with a bow, his grin not fading. His blue eyes fixed on Luke, sharp and bright, "Your Holiness, allow me to introduce myself: I am Prince Peony of Malkuth. I hope that you'll enjoy your time here."

Ion's jaw clenched almost imperceptibly as the prince presumed to speak so directly and easily to Luke. Not that he gave a damn about Lorelei or his Scion, but Peony's relaxed attitude could become problematic. Hopefully, given the fact that he was still new to politics, he'd be just as reliant on his advisors as that old fool Ingobert.

“Ah, your highness, you mustn’t speak to the Scion so carelessly!” An advisor warned Peony, who gave him a funny look.

“That was careless?” He asked, looking back to the Scion with a raised brow.

Luke shook his head and held a hand up to indicate that it was alright.

Peony gave him a half-smile and chuckled. “Well, I’m incredibly honored to have both you and the Fon Master in attendance. It means a great deal that Malkuth has this level of support from Daath.”

Luke looked past the prince and locked eyes with one of the men wearing a military uniform. He had long brunette hair and piercing, unnaturally red eyes behind glasses. The way this man looked him over made Luke feel uncomfortable, and he took a slight step back to be closer to Guy.

“I take it you’re in the middle of rehearsal?” Ion questioned.

"The middle of probably the thousandth," Peony sighed. "They're all convinced that I'm going to—oh, I don't know, fall flat on my face, or say something stupid."

"Your highness, please," one of the advisors said, looking slightly frayed at the edges, "This is possibly one of the most important events of your reign. It is _crucial_ that you get this correct."

Peony waved off the advisor. "It'll be fine.”

"That carefree attitude of yours has gotten you into more than your fair share of troubles," the red-eyed man said.

Peony scoffed, "Look who's talking. Or do I need to remind you of your own share of troubles you've caused, Jade?"

"You needn't," Jade replied as he brought his hands around behind his back.

"Is there anything specific that you would like for us to do?" Ion asked, bringing the conversation back to the coronation. "I'm afraid I don't have much experience when it comes to official ceremonies just yet."

"The ceremony itself will be held in a large church not too far from the palace. Ideally, it would be perfect if the Scion himself could perform the ceremony, but..." the advisor trailed off, looking at Luke.

"We know that's not permitted," Peony finished. "We have our own officials who can conduct the ceremony. We merely ask that the both of you, Fon Master and Scion, be present and witness."

"That can be arranged." Ion smiled, holding his staff close to his body.

Luke faced Ion, "Am I really not allowed to officiate?"

"It would require speaking and touching," Ion clarified.

"I see," Luke said quietly to himself as he folded his hands together in front of him.

"That's all not until tomorrow morning, though," Peony said, "For the meantime, you're more than welcome to watch the rehearsals, or my steward can show you to your rooms. The palace is yours to explore for the rest of the evening. Anywhere that's off-limits should be locked and guarded. If you get lost, just have one of the maids or a guard show you around. You'll hear the bell for dinner in the dining room, but if you'd prefer not to join me, we can have the meal sent up to you."

 _Free to explore._ The phrase was enough to shake Guy out of his shock at everything that had happened in the past few minutes. If he could manage it, then maybe he could find Pere…

"That's awfully generous of you, your highness," Ion bowed his head to the monarch. "In that case, Arietta, would you like to take a walk with me?"

Arietta's face flushed ever so slightly, and she clutched her plush toy to her chest. "O-Of course, Ion! I'd love to."

Ion extended his hand out towards her and she graciously accepted, the two of them departing from the audience hall together.

Luke grew a bit flustered in turn, as Ion was the _only_ one there that he was permitted to talk openly with. With the Fon Master leaving, he either had to be silent or play charades with his hosts, which was so _dumb!_

He _hated_ that he couldn’t just talk with people!

"Your Holiness," Guy spoke up, "would you like to stay here and observe? If so, I'd like to request your leave for a short while."

Luke stared at him for a long moment. Oh great, now Guy wanted to bail, too. What did Guy have to do that would take him elsewhere? 

He contemplated for a moment—since he couldn’t speak freely with Guy, there was no point in keeping him here as well if he had something he wanted to do. He nodded, and Guy smiled at him appreciatively.

"Thank you, your Holiness. I'll be back soon.”

Quickly bowing to the Scion before he set off, Guy practically ran out the door. Hopefully, Pere hadn't gone too far. He could only leave Luke stranded for so long.

—

After asking around for a man matching Pere's description, Guy stepped out into the sunny, walled gardens of the imperial palace. Again, he came face-to-face with familiar sights and scents from Hod, which made him all the more eager to see the old arms master.

Guy found the man in question hunched over a flowerbed, garden shears in hand as he pruned leaves and dead buds off of the small pink flowers. The God General stopped, feeling a mix of emotions he hadn't anticipated. 

What should he say to him? What would Pere say in turn? So much had happened since the fall of Hod…

"Are you just going to stand there, Master Gailardia?" Pere asked, and Guy jumped.

"H-how did you...?"

"You underestimate me still," Pere hummed, setting his tools down before he turned to face his former Lord. "It is good to see you again, Gailardia." Guy glanced around quickly, and Pere chuckled, "No one's around. I wouldn't use your true name so carelessly."

"Right..." Guy nodded.

Pere studied the young man in front of him, still trying to make sense of his appearance.

"You look so much like your late father,” Pere said, turning his gaze to Guy's uniform, "I do hope you have been alright. You seem to have done well for yourself. You’ve ended up going to Daath after all?”

"Yes. I'm a God General under Commandant Grants, and I act as the Scion's bodyguard."

"Are you still after revenge?"

Guy shifted uncomfortably at that question. It was true, there was a _deep_ loathing Guy held for the world, the Score, Lorelei and Yulia, and the Kimlascan royals. He’d had _ample_ opportunity to slit Luke's throat or thrust a blade between his ribs over the years during the Score trances that left him far too vulnerable, but... Luke was _not_ the person Guy wanted to kill. Not anymore.

It was Duke Fabre and King Ingobert who needed to _pay._

"Your silence is answer enough," Pere said, and Guy stuttered.

"I-It's not—“

Pere shook his head. "I pray that one day you're able to lay your cause to rest, Master Gailardia.”

Guy nodded slowly. Someday he would. Someday soon, if what little Van was telling him about his plans was true.

"You should go find the young Scion, Master Gailardia," Pere said, "I don't intend to leave my service to the palace any time soon, and it seems that you left the poor boy in a bit of a hurry. Best go and see that he hasn't gotten lost in a crowd somewhere.”

Guy opened his mouth to protest, but he stopped himself. After a moment, he merely bowed to the man before he turned and headed off back into the palace.

Pere watched, a bittersweet smile on his face, and he turned to resume his work in the gardens.

—

Luke had taken a seat on the stairs leading up to the dais, watching in fascination as the prince and his advisors went through another round of rehearsals. There was so much fluff and pomp, different from Order ceremonies he’d been forced to take part in, yet similar at the same time.

As the soon-to-be-emperor took his place, the acting official for the ceremony pretended to place a large crown atop his head.

"I think I've got it already," Peony sighed, bored.

"Your highness, I understand your frustrations, but practice makes perfect!" his advisor urged. "Besides, once you're coronated, you'll be wishing you could come back to merely practicing."

"Is that a threat?" Peony laughed.

"There's laws to consider, the Kimlascan threat on the horizon, and don't even get me started on finding you an Empress to continue the bloodline.”

Peony tried not to cringe. He knew it was a matter of politics but did they really have to mention finding an empress right now? Much as he hated to admit it out loud, he still wasn’t over Nephry.

"Of course..." his advisor went on to say as Guy came back into the audience hall, "Resolving one issue may negate the other. The Kimlascans have a princess—still a bit young, but pretty enough, or so I've been told. A match with her would give you a young and healthy wife, capable of providing plenty of heirs. And having a connection to the throne could help to bring Kimlasca into line."

Guy nearly choked. Was this man seriously suggesting that Peony marry _Princess Natalia?!_ She was barely older than Luke! Hell, her nanny still accompanied her on trips to Daath! Thankfully, he didn't seem to be the only one with objections.

"Wait, the Kimlascan princess? She's not just young, she's still a child!” Peony frowned.

"Well, yes, but a marriage isn't arranged overnight. And she's not a toddler, she's only a few years away from being able to legally marry in Malkuth," his advisor pointed out.

“Do we _have_ to talk about this _right now?_ “

"I understand your anger, your highness, I do, but if we want to make the best choices for the empire, we need to go over all available options. At a glance, Princess Natalia is a very attractive potential candidate."

"I don't believe this." Peony shook his head as an argument ensued.

Luke stared at the adults as they all began to bicker, feeling numb with shock. 

That man wanted to marry his cousin off!?

Why did that make him feel so... angry? He gripped tightly at the fabric of his sleeves, gritting his teeth as the advisor continued to rattle off reason after reason why his cousin would be an ideal candidate. Rem, they were talking as if she were a broodmare! 

He couldn't take it anymore!

"No!" Luke snapped as he stood up from his spot. The argument halted and all eyes were on him. "I won't allow it! I forbid it!”

"Your Holiness—“ Guy started, sensing trouble. Of course this had to be hard for Luke to listen to, it was hard for _him_ to hear, and he didn't even really like Natalia.

"Y-your Holiness," the advisor said with a quick bow, "Please, forgive our rudeness in discussing such matters in front of you, but are you not supposed to remain impartial on matters between Kimlasca and Malkuth?"

"Princess Natalia is his cousin," Peony stated flatly, "Of course he wants to protect her."

“I’m sure," the advisor frowned, "But that does not change the fact that Daath is supposed to remain a neutral party in this.”

Luke grit his teeth and his hands shook. He just broke so many rules. He _knew_ that as the Scion of the Order he had to remain impartial but… this was his _family_ they were talking about!

He clenched his hands up into fists and stormed out, pushing past Guy to leave the audience hall. He hadn't the faintest idea where he was going but at this point he didn't _care_ , he needed to get away from _all_ of them!

“Lu—Your Holiness!" Guy called out after him.

—

Luke hurried down the curved staircase and ran into the first room that he saw, only to be greeted by an unsightly mess of a bedroom and a small herd of rappigs. The boy let out a surprised yelp and he stumbled backward as a curious rappig came up to examine him.

He'd only ever seen rappigs within the Score before, so it was a little unnerving to suddenly have them acknowledge him being there. He then wondered if rappigs could be pets. Whenever he saw them in the Score they’d be in pens on farms. Of course, those rappigs were huge and dirty, whereas these were small and clean..

After the initial shock wore off, Luke held still and watched as the rappig sniffed at his shoes. He knelt down and extended his hand out, which the animal sniffed, and he giggled softly as it licked his fingers.

A few moments later, the soft sound of footsteps trailed into the room. Prince Peony looked down at the young Scion of Lorelei sitting in his bedroom and playing with his beloved pets. Poor kid was just a... well, a kid. And an isolated, lonely one at that. Peony knew that story all too well.

"That's Gelda," he said, stepping inside and closing the door behind him, "She's pretty good with people.”

Luke cautiously glanced over his shoulder to see the prince standing behind him, before he looked back to the rappig that had moved from licking his fingers to nuzzling them.

"...Hi, Gelda," he said softly.

"That one under the table is Saphir," Peony pointed, "The one on the couch is Cute Jade, and the one on the pillow is Nephry. They're my pets."

Luke looked back at the prince again, taking note of how the bedroom door had been shut.

"...I like them," he said.

"I'm glad you do,” Peony grinned, "I'm pretty fond of them as well.” He sat down with a sigh next to the Scion, but far enough away so as not to crowd him. "I'm sorry for what happened out there. They should have known better than to bring that up in the first place, never mind in front of you, but they’ve become used to thinking of people as policies instead of people.”

Luke gently picked up Gelda and set her down into his lap, scratching the little creature behind the ears. She oinked happily, one of her back legs kicking in turn, which made Luke giggle a little. He then went quiet for a moment, mulling over what he wanted to say. 

”…You're not really going to marry my cousin, are you?"

"Nah," Peony shook his head, "Not if I can help it. I'm not interested in a fourteen-year-old. Besides, Kimlasca would never part with their crown princess."

That made Luke feel a bit better.

"I'm glad..." he admitted, before remembering that he needed to be impartial. "I-I mean... It's not because you're from Malkuth, I swear!”

"It's alright, I get what you mean. She's important to you."

"Mmhm..." Luke nodded. "I just want her to be happy.”

"She's lucky to have you looking out for her," Peony said, and the two fell into a comfortable silence, with only the sounds of oinking rappigs and the palace’s waterfall filling the air. 

After a little while, Peony spoke up again, "I hope you're able to stretch your legs a little while you're here. Even if you can't go very far, a change in scenery is nice, yeah? You should check out the gardens. Get a little fresh air and sunlight.”

“Mm,” Luke hummed softly with a short nod. “I want to see everything; there’s nothing like this in Daath. Everything’s so beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Peony said with a chuckle, finding that he was rather fond of this young boy. It really was a shame Daath forbid him from being open with people, Luke could grow up to be a fantastic, charismatic leader if he had the right encouragement. “Malkuth prides itself on culture, art, and fonic artes.”

“I um…” Luke stammered for a moment as he turned to look at the prince, “please don’t tell anyone that we spoke? We can both get into a lot of trouble if word gets out that we had this conversation.”

“What conversation?” Peony asked, and Luke furrowed his brow.

“This conv—oh. Oh, I see.” A sly grin made its way across his face, and the two of them snickered in tandem.

—

The day of the coronation arrived, and Luke had been woken up early to prepare for the ceremony. His usual white and blue tunic was tossed aside for more traditional Daathic vestments—a long white robe decorated with ornate gold embroidery. A heavy tabard weighed down his shoulders, and the tall hat atop his head made him feel ridiculous.

“I look like a mini-maestro…” Luke grumbled as he stared at himself in the mirror.

“You look… distinguished,” Guy tried to hold back a laugh.

“Ion doesn’t have to wear a stupid hat!”

“The Fon Master has his own traditional vestments.”

Guy's attempt at hiding his grin was in vain, however. He had to admit, Luke _did_ look silly.

"Prince Peony will be wearing something traditional, too, and this coronation is supposed to be about him, so everyone will be looking at him,” he said, trying to soothe the younger boy's pride, “Or at least, they're supposed to be. Now, c’mon, let’s get going.”

He beckoned Luke towards the door, and the Scion of Lorelei reluctantly heeded.

—

The carriage pulled up to a large church a ways away from the imperial palace, and the Daathic envoy filed into the building one by one. Luke held his breath as he entered, finding the church to be uncomfortably reminiscent of the cathedral back in Daath. The designs and architecture were different, but the solemn and serious air this place held made him feel like the Grand Maestro was hiding behind every corner, ready to scold him for something or other.

A guard led them up a spiral staircase to a balcony that granted a prime view of the center of the church. From above, they could see a large gathering of nobles already in their respective seats, chattering amongst one another before the ceremony began. In the balcony itself stood two thrones that had been erected for the esteemed guests of Daath.

Luke quietly took his seat, Ion the other, and both their guardians stood at their sides in attention.

A short time later, there was some minute signal and the chatter in the church died down. There were a few moments of silence and then a fanfare started up—the start of a grand processional as the Malkuth's blue-clad cortege began to stream in. Finally, the soon-to-be emperor entered, swathed in flowing robes of rich shades of blue and gold.

The playful, cheeky prince of yesterday was nowhere to be found. Peony's face was serene and somber, his eyes focused on the altar in front of him. His movements were slow and deliberate, but not hesitant, and his broad shoulders bore the weight of his robes and all that they symbolized effortlessly.

Guy's breath caught in his throat. Peony didn't physically resemble Van much, but there was something achingly similar about them at this moment. _This_ was what leaders should be. If more rulers carried themselves like this—regally, but without pretense—then Auldrant might not have been in the state it was currently.

He had an uncomfortable realization when he recalled that Natalia tried to carry herself in a similar manner. 

Luke watched on the edge of his seat as the Malkuth officiant began with the ceremony, delving into a long-winded speech about the history of Malkuth and the reign of previous leaders. It _fascinated_ him to no end, learning about another country’s history and culture, and he wished he’d been allowed to study things like this back in Daath. 

There was still so much about the world that he didn’t know, he supposed that perhaps it was time to buckle down and really learn control over the Score if he wanted to learn as much as possible in what limited time he had left.

When the officiant concluded his speech, Peony knelt down onto one knee and bowed his head. The monarch had to swear an oath after a series of vows and affirmations regarding his duties to his people and homeland.

Luke furrowed his brows. Did his uncle have to make these same promises? Would Natalia have to when she took the throne?

A large, ornately decorated crown was lifted off of a plush pillow and placed gently onto Peony’s head.

“I hereby crown you, Peony Upala Malkuth IX, Emperor of Malkuth.”

The church erupted into applause, nobles standing from their seats and cheering for their new emperor.

The emperor rose and bowed to the officiant, before turning to his new subjects and bowing to them as well. The cheers swelled, and Peony smiled, giving them a few moments before raising his hand. Almost instantly, the sounds of celebration died down.

"My good people of the mighty Malkuth Empire," he began in a ringing, clear voice that reached every corner of the church without sounding forced, "Thank you all for attending this momentous occasion. Standing on this dais, I am humbled to know that the empire is filled with citizens like you. It is my hope to bring our empire into a new age of peace and plenty, as the Score has foretold. My late father laid the groundwork, now let us all see to it that Malkuth is raised to new heights!"

Cheers erupted once more, and another fanfare started to signal the emperor's leavings. As he walked up the aisle of the church, several people in the pews clamored to introduce themselves and petition their causes. Peony greeted each one with a nod and a few words—a kind reminder of when his court was open to hear these petitions.

“Wow…” Luke breathed out in amazement, mesmerized by the power and confidence that the new emperor seemed to exude with every step he took.

“Really, they didn’t _need_ us here,” Ion muttered under his breath in disdain as he watched the nobles begin to file out of the church after their emperor. “This was so pointless.”

Luke frowned, but refrained from voicing his displeasure. He was not going to let the Fon Master ruin his only trip outside the cathedral with his chronic pessimism. 

Once the church had been cleared out, Luke and Ion were brought back to the entrance of the church. Guy temporarily excused himself to go coordinate a few things with the carriage driver, leaving Luke and Ion in Arietta’s care.

From out of the church’s shadows emerged a group of five men, all wearing cloaks to conceal the swords they wielded. Luke took a startled step back, but Ion remained impassive as he held onto his staff tightly.

“Fon Master,” the man at the front of the group spoke up, “the plan between you and the commandant has been revealed. Surrender immediately, while we can still stop this. What you’re doing is a disgrace to spirituality—it spits in the face of Yulia and her teachings!”

What?

“It’s disgusting! To make a replica of the Fon Master!”

Luke stared at Ion.

Replica…?

There was no time for Ion to say anything. The men charged forwards with swords drawn, ready to cut down the Fon Master himself if that was what it meant to protect the life that Yulia had foreseen for them. Guy turned at the sudden commotion, but he had barely taken a step before things went from bad to worse.

"Ion!"

Arietta rushed to place herself between the Fon Master and his attackers. There was a horrible sound of steel rending flesh, and a spray of hot blood arced through the air. Arietta fell to the ground. Her body was limp, and her limbs twitched as she struggled against the pain. Weakly, she tried to pull herself upright.

"I... Ion... y-you won't... hurt Ion…"

“Arietta!” Luke cried out, rushing over to her side and dropping to his knees. He held his hands out and cast a small healing arte, stitching her wounds together in order to staunch the bleeding. 

Arietta gave him her thanks as she stood shakily, ready to jump into the fray again without any thought for her own well being. Guy had also engaged, holding off one of the hooded attackers with his sword when Luke took notice of the stance Ion had taken.

The Fon Master had started to cast, and a large, Daathic fonic glyph began to glow at his feet. 

Panic shot through Luke, and he grabbed hold of Arietta’s hand to pull her away. “GUY! GET BACK!”

“The _only_ one who gets to hurt _my_ pet IS ME!” Ion snarled as he unleashed his arte.

Guy heard Luke just a half a breath too late, feeling pain shoot through his arm and side as he leapt back. He fumbled the landing and crashed into the pavement. Winded, he struggled to force air back into his lungs as the light from Ion's arte faded, and the God General realized that he was _damn_ lucky.

Blood streaked the cobblestones in a gory smear. There was barely a trace of the five men who had been in front of them just moments before, save for the odd lump of flesh, chunk of hair, or fragment of bone. Dazed, Guy wondered to himself if it was preferable to the distinct lack of viscera left by Luke's hyperresonance, when a new thought occurred to him.

_Luke._

"Y-your... your holiness," he wheezed, pushing himself to his knees and then to his feet. His injuries screamed in protest, the pain akin to touching a live wire, but he forced himself to ignore it. "Your Holiness... Fon Master... are you alright?”

The stench of blood was _overwhelming_ , and Luke turned away from the grizzly scene. He could hear the notes of Alara’s hymn in his ears, and when he closed his eyes he could see her nearly headless corpse before him. Saliva flooded his mouth and he started to heave, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the ground.

“I’m fine,” Ion scoffed as he looked at the pitiful sight of the Scion, shaking and puking at the sight of a little blood. What a baby. The Fon Master redirected his attention to Arietta, and he stepped over to her side and took her hands into his. “Are you alright, my pet?”

“I-Ion… yes, I’m alright. The Scion used a healing arte on me so my wounds are gone.”

“I’m so glad.” He smiled at her, “Let’s return to the palace, where it’s safe. I’m sure the Scion will want to have a _long_ talk with me about a few things.” He gave Luke a bit of a cold glare.

Wearily, Luke looked at Ion and glared in turn. His stomach was still doing flips despite it being empty. He had to take several deep breaths, remembering his meditation practices to bring him back to a calmer state.

“You’re damn right I do,” he managed to choke out in a hoarse voice. What the _hell_ did those men mean by a replica of the Fon Master?

Ion ignored the Scion's words, instead supporting Arietta as they made their way back to the carriage. By now the area was starting to become swarmed by soldiers and civilians alike.

_"Do you think it was the Kimlascans?”_

_"Those uptight prudes? They'd never try to do anything to the Fon Master.”_

_"No, but they would love to cause a disturbance. Especially right after His Imperial Majesty's coronation…"_

Trying to block out the whispers, Guy did his best to compose himself, "See that the streets are scrubbed clean," he ordered the nearest guard, “And make sure that a report is made both to Daath and His Imperial Majesty. I am sure both parties will want a full investigation of what happened here."

"Y-yes, sir," the guard stammered, his eyes looking beyond Guy to the mess behind him. After a moment, his eyes focused back on Guy and the blood now trickling down his arm. “Sir! You're injured!"

"I-it's fine," Guy said, though he could feel a cold sweat forming on his skin. He waved the concerned guard off. He was a God General and the Scion’s bodyguard, going into shock now would be more than humiliating.

Luke slowly picked himself off the ground and staggered over to Guy’s side. Holding his hands out, he cast a second healing arte to mend the damage caused by Ion’s recklessness. “Here, this’ll help…”

Guy breathed out a sigh of relief when the pain in his side went away, and he raised his arm up and down a few times to test it.

“Thank you, Your Holiness,” He said. No more shaking, no more nausea, he felt reinvigorated and ready to fight. “Let’s catch up with the Fon Master and his Guardian. They should be in the carriage.”

—

As soon as the carriage pulled up to the palace, Luke and Ion exited and made their way to a vacant room. Luke shut the door with a slam and stood in front of it as if to block Ion from escaping.

“You can relax, Luke. I’ve nothing to hide from you,” Ion stated as he crossed his arms.

“Then start talking. What did those men mean? What plan between you and Master Van were they talking about?”

“I’m going to die,” Ion stated bluntly, and that caught Luke off guard, “I have half a year left.”

“…What?” Luke breathed out.

“It’s within the Closed Score, an illness will kill me in my sleep. A much quieter death compared to yours.”

Luke swallowed hard, and Ion's lips curled into a sick, satisfied smile when he saw that his words had hit their mark.

"Van, however, has plans that require a certain skill set. And those sheep out there—everyone from your beloved cousin to the emperor himself—need a guiding hand, or there will be chaos. Riots. Why, the royal houses of Kimlasca and Malkuth may just fall, and heads _will_ roll."

The Fon Master paused, letting the imagery take hold in the Scion's mind. Who was he picturing? His mother, with her long scarlet hair mingling with the dark blood from her severed neck, until it was all one mass? His cousin, with her suspiciously hazel eyes still open, wide and accusing?

"So we agreed to have me replicated. A perfect copy will take my place, with all of my abilities. Van accomplishes his ends, the Order maintains its leader, and no one is the wiser.”

“A-a copy…?” Luke barely managed to squeak, trying to process everything. Ion was going to die and his Master was going to just… replace him with a copy?! How did that even work, how did—

“I can see you’re trying to figure out the logistics. Don’t. I don’t fully understand it all myself, either.”

“You’re… you’re really okay with that?” Luke questioned as he wrapped his arms around himself. “You’re fine with dying and letting a copy masquerade as you? That… it goes against the Score—“

“In a way,” Ion replied coolly, “but it maintains the peace. That’s what you want, right? To ensure your family remains safe?”

Luke went quiet for a few moments. “…Yes. I want them safe.”

“Then it’s in your best interest to pretend that this conversation never happened.” Ion uncrossed his arms and stepped towards him, “Move.”

Luke stared him down for an uncomfortable moment, but ultimately he relented and allowed the Fon Master to pass. The door shut and he was left standing in that room alone, his mind reeling at everything that had just been said.

A replica… was that really the solution?


	6. The Battle of Northern Chesedonia

_ND 2014, Lorelei Decan_

Looking down at the letter she had received from Luke that morning, Natalia felt numb. 

Her cousin’s letter was packed to the brim with things about a trip to Malkuth—to _Malkuth!_ —to be a guest at the new emperor's coronation. 

So _Malkuth_ could just ask, and Luke was allowed to leave the cathedral. Meanwhile, his own family had been _begging_ for years for him to be allowed to visit Baticul, only to be denied every time! How dare they assume a privilege that should have been Kimlasca’s right!

The numbness was washed away by a tingling rage. Natalia felt as though her whole body was on fire. 

Scanning the letter further, Natalia almost dropped the page when she read a certain part of the text. Luke wrote that the Emperor's advisors were suggesting her as a marriage candidate! The absolute nerve they had, to mention something like that so casually. As if her father would ever agree to such a thing!

There was only one thing to do.

“ _Father!_ " Natalia huffed, bursting into her father's chambers. 

Ingobert and several council members were murmuring amongst themselves within his study. They looked up with expressions of surprise and irritation when the young princess interrupted. Natalia ignored the looks, instead keeping her furious gaze fixed on the king.

"Natalia," Ingobert frowned at his daughter, "We are—“

"Why was Luke permitted to go to Malkuth?! Why can't he come _home_ for once?!"

The king's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and Natalia felt the council's interest hone in on her.

"So it's true..." Ingobert murmured to himself as he stroked his chin. The council members exchanged glances and began to mutter amongst themselves.

"You knew?!" Natalia demanded, hurt shadowing her face. She composed herself as best she could before continuing, "Did you know that they wanted to arrange a match between myself and their new emperor as well?"

“What?!” Ingobert gasped as he snatched the letter from Natalia’s hands. His eyes scanned over the scribbled text and confirmed for himself that what Natalia said was true. “Those… those Malkuth _savages_!” Ingobert hissed between clenched teeth as he crushed the letter in his hands, “I won’t stand for this!”

“What do you suggest we do, Your Majesty?” Duke Fabre asked, “We’ve tried petitioning Daath before, and they won’t budge.”

“Forget Daath,” Ingobert shook his head, “We strike at Malkuth directly.”

“Sire!” One of the gathered men gasped, “That’s a declaration of war!”

"And what else are we to do?" Ingobert demanded with a passion in him that had not been seen for years, "Stand back and hand them Kimlasca on a silver platter? It's one thing that Luke was permitted to attend the coronation, but the attack on his life and the Fon Master’s— and now this talk of allowing our heir to the throne to marry into _their_ royal line—is something else entirely!"

Natalia's anger faltered. A war? No, she didn't want that! Why couldn't her father just write a rebuke to Emperor Peony? And what was this about an attack on Luke and the Fon Master?

"Father, wait—"

"Thank you for bringing these matters to our attention, Natalia," Ingobert said, "But these discussions don't concern a young lady like yourself."

"But I—“

"Don't worry. We'll see Malkuth trampled, and then we'll think about finding you a suitable husband," he continued with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Run along, now. Why don't you go and show your aunt your new embroidery project? Or play her the new song you learned? I'm sure that she would enjoy the company.”

“But father, I—!”

“No buts, be a good girl, Natalia.”

The princess’s face flushed and she balled her hands up into fists. “May I please have my letter back first, Your Majesty?”

Ingobert looked down at the letter he’d crumpled in his anger. He handed it back to her, belatedly trying to smooth out the creases. Natalia took it and curtsied, then left the room without a further word.

—

Brigadier General Jozette Cecille stood at attention next to her comrade, General Goldberg. An emergency meeting between them, the king, and his advisors had been called. Duke Fabre had warned her in one of their previous engagements that relations with Malkuth were rapidly declining, so she supposed it had only been a matter of time before the King launched an attack against Malkuth.

“Where are we to strike, Your Majesty?” she asked, looking at the map spread out across the war table.

“Here,” Ingobert pointed to Chesedonia, “It will be the easiest place to move our troops without arousing suspicions.”

“Astor and the Merchants’ Guild won’t be happy,” Goldberg said as he looked over the map, “There’s also a high risk of civilian casualty.”

“We’ll have to evacuate the Kimlascan side of the city before pressing across the border,” Cecille said, beginning to arrange the various pieces representing Kimlascan and Malkuth forces on the map.

"Evacuating the citizens without tipping off the enemy is a task easier said than done," Crymson said, "It's no use to send them through the desert; they'll need to be evacuated by ship to Baticul. Accommodations will need to be made..."

"The city's already swelling at the seams," Goldberg frowned, lifting his hand to trace a path from Chesedonia,"You should send them to—“

"Moving them to any other Kimlascan city gives Malkuth too much opportunity to intercede," Crymson explained. "Besides, none of them have the resources to take in that many people. It _needs_ to be Baticul, if this is going to be done.”

“Agreed,” Ingobert nodded, “We can set up emergency housing and shelter in the lower tiers of the city. The factory down there has stood empty for years, make use of it.”

“The place is crawling with monsters,” Goldberg protested “Certainly Belkend and Sheridan—”

“Enough! Send in a cleanup crew to eradicate the monsters, and be done with it!” Ingobert snapped.

“Yes, sire,” Goldberg said, taking a step back.

Cecille continued to study the map, taking note of the terrain and any possible escape routes the enemy could take.

“We can drive the Malkuth forces out of the city and then secure it, leaving them stranded… We’ll be at a disadvantage with the desert to our backs though. We’ll need to arrive by ship to make sure we don’t exhaust men and supplies.”

“You’ll have your ships,” Ingobert assured her, “just make Malkuth _pay_ for their insolence and arrogance.”

“Sir!” Cecille stood at attention and saluted him.

—

_ND 2015, Rem Decan_

Natalia was returning to her chambers after a short walk in the gardens, feeling fatigued and listless. The young princess had barely left her rooms since Ingobert had declared war on Malkuth, and her maids had noticed her food often went untouched. They had done their best to coax her outside, hoping that a little light exercise would stir her appetite and put some color in her pale cheeks.

As she reached her bedroom Natalia paused, noticing the door was slightly ajar.

"Have you heard about the battle?" one maid asked another in a hushed voice as they changed the princess' bed linens.

"More like a slaughter," her companion replied, "I heard that if it hadn't been for the arrival of Commandant Grants, our forces would have been completely wiped out. As it was, it was still a near thing."

The words hit the princess like a punch to the gut, and she raised her hand to cover her gasp. 

_A slaughter?_

"It's that Malkuth colonel," the first maid said, "The one they call the ‘Necromancer.’ He's a bloodthirsty devil, and they say he wanders battlefields once the smoke's cleared to reanimate the bodies!"

Natalia felt sick. 

She had to do something, but what? She was only a princess, devoid of any real power. If she went to her father, he would try and placate her with a pat on the head—if he was in any mood to speak at all. Such a devastating loss would be a blow to his pride, leaving him in a temperamental state for weeks to come.

Well, she was a seventh fonist... even if the surviving wounded had enough medical help, they should have a reminder that the royal family _cared_ about them.

"Beth, Sue," she said, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her. The maids jumped in surprise, their cheeks red at being caught by the princess.

"Y-yes, Your Highness?"

"Prepare a set of my traveling clothes and pack my bags."

"Your Highness?"

"I'm going to Chesedonia."

"But Your Highness—!"

Natalia held up a hand, quieting her two maids.

"This war started because of a letter I showed to my father. Our soldiers’ blood is on my hands, and I intend to do whatever I can to make amends for my mistake. If either one of you tell a _single_ soul about what I am doing, I will see to it that you are _both_ demoted to scullery maids. Am I clear?” 

"Y-yes, Your Highness!" both maids squeaked, hurrying to prepare Natalia for her trip.

—

Bags packed and traveling clothes donned, the young princess was ready for her impromptu journey to the merchant city. Her cumbersome luggage made maintaining a low profile difficult though, and it was a challenge just to leave the castle. From there she made her way towards the elevator that would take her down to the city commons. Then it was just a cable car ride away to get to the port and—

“Your Highness,” a guard stationed next to the elevator saluted, “Where is your nanny? Surely she’ll be accompanying you on your trip?”

Natalia pressed her lips together, thinking of just what her nanny would have to say when she found out about this. She’d be lucky if her nanny didn’t lock her in her chambers until she came of age.

"My nanny is currently otherwise occupied. This trip is rather sudden," she said as she adjusted her grip on the handle of her bag, "She will be half a day behind me, so there's really nothing to be too concerned about."

Natalia's stomach twisted uneasily at the lie, at how effortlessly it had come to her. At least it was only a small fib, and that it would enable her to do some real good in the face of the damage she caused.

“Please,” she continued, “Don't tell anyone that you saw me, or that we had this conversation? I have work of great importance to be done."

The guard frowned, peering down at the young princess, "Great importance? Princess, where are you going? It's dangerous out there, now that we're at war with Malkuth again."

"The war with Malkuth is why I must go," Natalia said, "The troops at Chesedonia—"

The guard faltered. 

"M-my brother... My brother was deployed to Chesedonia," he said quietly. 

Natalia winced.

"Tell me his name, and yours. I’ll find him for you, I promise, but I can only do that if you _swear_ not to alert anyone and to let me pass."

"David Wilson, at your service, Your Highness,” he bowed deeply, “My younger brother is George Wilson. He’s just a bit shorter than I am and a real hothead. But he’s strong and patriotic. Your Highness... if you find Georgie—if he's alive—tell him Davy is waiting for him to come back?"

"Of course I will. You have my word as the princess of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear,” Natalia nodded. 

Satisfied with her answer, David opened the gate and allowed her to step onto the elevator platform.

"Safe travels, princess," he said, pressing the button to lower the elevator, "May Yulia's grace be with you.”

—

From the elevator to the cable car to the port, Natalia walked with enough purpose and confidence to deter anyone else from bothering her further. 

The only last remaining hurdle was finding a ship that would take her directly to the war zone, which... sounded a lot easier when she had thought of this plan. Travel to the east had been severely restricted, with only supply ships making scheduled deliveries to the battlefield instead of the usual passenger ferries.

“—Look out!”

Natalia managed to duck in time as a couple of men carrying a large, heavy load stepped by, narrowly avoiding the princess. As they continued to pass, one looked over his shoulder and yelled out an apology to the young lady before continuing on.

A nearby dock worker took notice of the slight commotion and hurried over to Natalia’s side.

“Oh, Your Highness! I’m so sorry about them, the docks have been hectic as everyone’s scrambling to get our next shipment of supplies ready for Chesedonia. Is there something you need help with? I don’t recall seeing any royal trips scheduled on the roster—are you heading back to Daath?”

"It's no trouble, really. I should have been paying more attention," Natalia said, realizing that this was one more person she would have to bind to secrecy. She could only hope that once she was found out, these people wouldn’t lose their jobs—or worse.

"I, well, no, I'm not traveling to Daath today," she said quickly, "I actually need to get to Chesedonia."

“ _Chesedonia?_ "

"Shhh!" the princess hushed, the hair on the back of her neck prickling with nerves. She braced herself for the sudden murmuring of onlookers, but none came. The docks were packed and noisy, and she hardly stood out in her plain traveling clothes.

"Yes, Chesedonia," she went on to say, "For a mission of aid and support. I don't want any fanfare, nor do I want _anyone_ to know what I am doing.”

The dock worker looked uncomfortable.

"Does His Majesty know?"

"His Majesty has so many concerns at the moment, I don't wish to trouble him," Natalia replied, "It's only a short trip, and besides, the battle is already over. Malkuth has no reason to attack our forces a second time. Not to mention I'll be surrounded by members of the Kimlascan army—so really, there's no safer place for me."

The worker shifted from foot to foot. Natalia could see that all he needed was a little push.

"I'll pay for my passage," she offered, adding, "Please; I've checked my Score—I _need_ to do this.”

“Your Score?” the worker repeated, furrowing his brow. If that was truly the case then it would be wrong to impede the princess from going on this journey. The Score had to be upheld down to the last minute detail if they all wanted to be blessed with abundance and prosperity. He chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before letting out a hefty sigh. 

“…Alright. Alright, if it’s in the Score, it’s not my place to stop you. The supply ship is currently being loaded up and should set sail for Chesedonia in roughly two hours. It’ll arrive by tomorrow morning.”

"Thank you," Natalia breathed, reaching for her purse and pressing a large handful of gald into the man's hand, before hurrying off to the ship still being loaded with supplies.

As the princess departed, the worker looked down into his palm. Princess Natalia had just paid his rent for a month, and both his children's school fees for the semester, without a second thought.

"Yulia be with you, Princess," he murmured after her retreating form.

—

The voyage from the Capital of Light to the desert city had been mercifully quick. Being a supply runner for short-distance hauls, there wasn’t much by way of comfortable accommodations. The small crew manning the ship all bunked together in a cramped cabin at the aft of the vessel, with bunk beds lining the wall and a few hammocks hanging from the ceiling. Provisions consisted of salted meats, cheese, and some hard bread—a far cry from the dinners served within the castle.

Thankfully Natalia had packed one of her novels before leaving. Before she could worry about the consequences she’d have to face at home, or what might await her in Chesedonia, she buried her nose in her book. She spent the short journey lost in the world of forbidden romance between a masked femme fatale thief and the constable that pursued her.

—

The desert sun bore down relentlessly as the ship pulled into the Kimlascan port of Chesedonia. The sailors grumbled bitterly, wiping the sweat from their brows as they lowered the gangplank and started to haul the shipment of supplies onto the dock.

Stepping off the ship, Natalia took in a deep breath. Even the air smelled hot—like burning sand and the remnants of cannon fire. It filled her lungs and cleared her mind in a way that the crisp air in Baticul's upper levels never did. 

She was here for a reason.

The princess learned the field hospital was actually several buildings, mostly residences and shops claimed by the throne. Designated by the bundles of lavender, rosemary and sage hanging from the doors and windows, there were five that she could see on one street alone.

For a moment, Natalia wasn’t sure where to start. She had to resist the urge to run into the nearest hospital and begin helping immediately. It would be best to get to the inn first, to make herself presentable and stow her luggage. Even if she went now, it was still early. She might interfere with the soldiers receiving a much-needed breakfast.

As she slowly began her trek to the inn, she tried to think of what she would say. The words 'I'm sorry' and 'this is my fault' crossed her mind over and over, but she shook them away each time. She would commend the soldiers on their bravery, their patriotism. She would ask what was needed of the crown and then do her best to bestow it. That was the very least she could do.

Checking her bags at the inn, she washed her face and combed her hair before downing several glasses of water in as ladylike a fashion as she could manage. Then, with a satchel stuffed with gels draped over her shoulder, she set out for the nearest hospital.

—

Wounded soldiers were packed into small rooms, the windows closed tightly to keep the desert heat from coming in, making the air stagnant and thick.

A middle-aged woman, dressed in dull white robes that were splattered with red and brown, was standing over a wounded man. He lay sprawled out on a makeshift cot, moaning weakly as she examined his mangled leg. The woman frowned at the results before her. 

“I’m afraid we’ll need to amputate. Infection’s set in, and it’s not responding to healing artes or gels.”

“N-not my leg…!” The man pleaded as the woman came around to his other side. She rested the back of her hand against his slick forehead.

“You’re running a fever. If we don’t take your leg, you won’t survive.”

“P-Please…! I’m… I’m a soldier, t-that’s a-all I know h-how to do… I-I can’t serve with on-only one leg! How will I pr-provide f-for my f-family…?”

“At least your family will still _have_ you,” the woman tried her best to reassure him, “Would you rather your child grow up without a father at all?”

The wounded soldier took in a stuttered breath.

“N-No…”

“Then we _must_ take the leg.”

Natalia watched the exchange from the hospital’s doorway and swallowed hard, working up the courage to step forward. She was here to help, not wallow in sorrow and regret.

"What's your name?” she asked, coming to the soldier’s other side and gently taking his hand in hers. His skin was caked in blood and dirt, ruining her pristine white gloves, but she didn't care. She blocked the light from his face with her body, trying to get his eyes to focus on her.

"Sir? What is your name?" she asked again.

“Your Highness?!”

The nurse of the makeshift hospital gasped as the crown princess seemed to appear from nowhere. Her patient looked up, and his eyes scanned Natalia up and down.

“Prin..cess…?” He asked. She really did match the description of beauty his fellow soldiers told him about. 

“Stu.. Stuart… Stuart Howard… M-my name is Stuart Howard.”

“Hush, you,” the nurse gently admonished the soldier, “Save your strength. You’re going to need every ounce of it for your recovery.”

“M-my wife, Diana,” Stuart pulled a locket out from under his uniform’s tunic and opened it up to show the princess, “W-we’re expe-…expecting our first child… S-Score says it’ll b-be a boy… Gonna name him Milo…”

“Hush,” the nurse said with more force, using a hand to smooth his hair back. “I’ll give you some anesthetic that will put you to sleep. When you wake, that infected leg will be gone and you should be feeling _much_ better.”

“I-if I don’t… don’t wake up… my family…” Stuart trailed off.

"Shhh..." Natalia soothed, "It's alright, Stuart. Just close your eyes—think of Diana, and your wonderful baby boy on his way. The doctors will take care of you, and you'll be home with them soon."

Stuart nodded weakly, letting his eyes drift closed even as tears fell from them. Natalia pressed his hand and the locket back against his chest.

"Be strong for Diana and Milo, Stuart," she said, "You've already done so well. Just keep fighting a little longer.”

“T-thank you, princess…” he trailed off as the nurse gave him a spoonful of a dark, opaque liquid. Shortly after the man went limp, and the nurse let out a sharp breath. She turned to face the princess and gave the girl a curious look.

“I don’t mean to look a gift horse in the mouth, but what are you doing here, Your Highness? This is a field hospital and these men are in bad condition. We’ve more dead than wounded, and tight supplies aren’t helping those numbers. Has the king sent more aid? Or reinforcements? The Brigadier General won’t talk to us, other to demand treatments for the soldiers.”

Another soldier, who’d been resting on a cot against the far wall, suddenly awoke and began to scream. Natalia’s eyes were immediately drawn to the dark burns on one side of his body, which had begun to fester. She covered her mouth, eyes wide in horror—how was he even still alive in such a condition?!

The nurse rushed over, doing her best to give him a spoonful of the same dark liquid she’d given Stuart. The man thrashed, fighting the nurse as though she were attacking him. Seeing the nurse having difficulty delivering the anesthetic, Natalia hurried to his side.

"It's alright, it's alright…!" she said, taking his unburned hand, "Shhh... let the nurse give you something for the pain..."

It was a struggle to get this soldier to swallow the medicine; most of it dribbled out of his mouth and onto his uniform as he continued to scream. Eventually the screaming died away into exhausted yelps before his head finally lolled back into his pillow. He laid in unconscious silence, broken only by the sounds of heavy breathing.

The nurse looked grim as she gently shook the bottle of anesthetic. There was only a quarter of a bottle left.

“This is the last bottle… I don’t have enough to treat all these men…”

Which meant that… if she wanted _any_ survivors, she would need to focus solely on those who had the best chances.

It went against her oath as a healer—to treat _everyone_ without discrimination and to do no harm—but at this point, there were dwindling options. This burn victim was not going to make it, even if they had more medicine. It would be far kinder to kill him now, mercifully, than to subject him to unimaginable torture every time he regained consciousness.

She turned to face the princess and tried her best to mask her morbid thoughts behind a forced smile. 

“Why don’t you go find the Brigadier General? I need to attend to Stuart’s leg, and that’s not something a princess should be seeing, hm?”

Taking a deep breath of the putrid air, Natalia squared her shoulders and locked eyes with the nurse.

"I came to help," she said, "I'm a seventh fonist, and I can help you. What needs to be done? I can learn quickly if you'll show me what to do. What supplies do you need? Tell me, and I'll write to my father.

"I came on a supply ship,” she continued before the nurse could interrupt her, “If there's anything you need me to get, I'll bring it here. And what about the other hospitals?”

“A supply ship? Oh thank Yulia,” the nurse let out a small breath of relief. Supply ships always meant more medicine, even if it was just a small fraction of the cargo compared to arms, munitions, capacity cores, and the like. Given that the battle was officially over, that should mean that Baticul would prioritize medicine instead of weapons.

The nurse calculated a quick plan to make sure the princess could help without seeing too much gore or getting underfoot. 

“Head back to the docks and grab whatever medicine you can carry. Bandages, ointments, gels—I’ll even take bundles of herbs and make my own medicine out of them if that’s what it takes. Bring them to me, and then do the same for as many other hospitals as you can. The more widespread we can get these supplies, the more lives we can spare and send home. Can you do that for me, Princess?”

"Yes," Natalia said with a quick nod, glad she had brought a bag to carry her own supplies. “Oh! Here," she said, reaching in and pulling out the gels she'd packed away, "It's mostly orange and apple gels, but there are a few lemon and pineapple in there, too."

The nurse took the assorted gels into her hands and looked down at them. These wouldn’t help most of the men in her care but she could distribute these to the soldiers already upright and walking.

“Lorelei bless your kindness and generosity,” she said, stashing the gels in a cupboard.

"Is there anything that could be done to diminish the heat and move the air around? Do you need fon tech fans?”

As the nurse moved back to Stuart’s side in order to prep his leg for amputation, she shook her head. “Medicine first. Go fetch that, and we’ll worry about patient comfort after these men are no longer in critical condition.”

Natalia nodded again. Her mind was already looking for ways to make the field hospitals more bearable as she hurried from the building and made her way back to the docks.

Halfway down the street she realized she'd set out during the hottest part of the day, with no sun protection or water. Grimacing and trying not to think of how red her fair skin would turn, nor how delicious a cool glass of water would be, she continued on. Her soldiers had far larger complaints to think of than sunburn or thirst. If they could bear a battle, she could bear this.

At the port, she found the supply ship still unloading its cargo. Natalia approached the captain and tried not to look too faint.

"Have you unloaded any of the medicine yet?" she asked, "Or bandages? Even herbs. I can start taking things to the hospitals. I'm fast, and stronger than I look.”

“Oh, Your Highness,” the captain said, surprised to find the princess back on the docks again. When he’d learned that he’d been ferrying the young royal to this city, he hadn’t anticipated her being so eager to volunteer her help. 

“Why yes, some of the medical supplies have been offloaded, over there.”

The captain pointed to a stack of crates next to the ship. He gestured sharply, and a sailor grabbed a crowbar before using it to pry the wooden lid off of the crate. Inside were bottles of medicine, stacks of bandages, and several large bundles of herbs tied together with colored twine.

“There’s still a second batch of crates that have yet to be unloaded, but they won’t be unloaded for another hour. This’ll have to do for now,” the sailor informed Natalia.

"Wonderful. Thank you," she said, smiling warmly as she began packing her bag with everything the nurse had asked for. She'd have to make several trips just to empty this one crate, and even more so once the second crate was unloaded. This was going to be a long day…

"Your Highness, here," one of the other sailors said, offering her a large, sealed bottle, "Have something to drink before you leave again. And eat something light. The heat can really creep up on you, even when you're not exerting yourself, and it can make you seriously ill. Sit in the shade for a bit, too.”

"But I said I'd bring these supplies back—“

"And you will, so long as you take the time to rest. Making yourself sick won't help anyone right now.”

—

The nurse of the first makeshift hospital had already begun to saw through Stuart’s leg by the time Natalia returned with supplies. The sound of bone and flesh being scraped by a handsaw grated against her ears, and the scent of fresh blood added to the acrid stench that plagued the hospital.

“Oh, Your Highness! I’m so sorry, I can’t stop or he’ll bleed out. Leave the supplies on the counter there!” the nurse instructed as she gave one last push and the leg was severed. It landed with a dull, fleshy _thump._

Natalia grit her teeth at the sound, leaving the supplies on the counter as instructed. She braced herself slightly as she did so, worried that the growing nausea in her stomach might boil over. At least the nurse was too preoccupied to talk. Natalia worried that if she tried to ask the nurse a question she really _would_ be sick.

Pulling out the bottle the sailor had given her, she sipped at the water, letting it soothe her stomach before embarking out into the street once more.

—

It was grueling work, hauling her satchel full of supplies to as many hospitals in the city as she could. The sailors had been right to warn her about the desert’s heat; halfway to the next hospital another wave of intense nausea hit, and spots danced in her vision. A short rest under a shady tree and some more sips of water did help, but now Natalia knew she _had_ to be careful. If she wasn’t, she’d just be one more patient for the nurses to be concerned with.

By the time all of the supplies in all the crates had been delivered the sun was starting to set. Natalia's skin was burned a painful red, especially on her face and neck. Every muscle in her body was tight and sore, and her hands and feet were bloody with blisters.

The hospitals had medicine though, along with bandages, herbs, ointments, clean sheets, soap, needles, scissors, and thread. It wasn't much, but it would carry them through until Natalia could get her father to send more aid.

With the sun setting, some of the windows had been opened to allow the cooler evening air inside to circulate. In less than an hour, they'd have to be closed again as the temperature continued to drop.

“Princess Natalia?” An older male voice said from behind, and when the girl turned, she could see that it was General Goldberg. “The rumors _were_ right, you _have_ been running around the city all da—your face!” 

He gasped as he approached her, taking careful note of her sunburned appearance. Natalia raised a blistered hand to her stinging cheek. She could only imagine how she looked; sunburnt, sweaty and gritty like a common laborer. Hardly what Kimlasca expected of their princess.

“This is no good at all; come with me and we can get you cleaned up. Brigadier General Cecille will want to speak with you as well.”

He extended his arm and guided her towards the nearby inn.

—

After a well deserved soak in a small tub filled with oatmeal and aloe vera, the innkeeper helped apply a healing salve to the burned portions of the princess’ skin. Her blistered hands and feet were tenderly wrapped with fresh bandages, and she was dressed in a light cotton gown and a pair of slippers.

Goldberg escorted the princess from the inn to the Kimlascan consulate, where Brigadier General Cecille was poring over a mass of documents scattered on her desk. So many fatalities, so many injured, it’d been a _miracle_ that the commandant arrived with backup from Daath when they did. If they’d hadn’t—

“Cecille,” Goldberg spoke up and the young woman snapped out of her intense focus, “I’ve brought a guest.”

“Your Highness?! What are you doing here? What happened to your face—your hands?”

"I've been helping to deliver medical supplies to the hospitals," Natalia admitted meekly, clasping her bandaged hands together with a wince, "I... that letter from H-His Holiness... I didn't realize that this would happen. So many men are _dead_ or seriously injured because I showed that letter to my father."

"Don't be silly, child. It is your duty as a subject and a daughter to bring important information to His Majesty," Goldberg said.

"Please don't send me back to Baticul," she pleaded with Cecille, "Not yet. I can still help here, and I would be sick sitting at home _knowing_ that there are men suffering while I drink tea and embroider handkerchiefs!”

“Your determination and compassion are commendable, Princess, truly,” Goldberg stated with a nod of his head, “But this type of place is not suitable for—“

“She wishes to work, so let her work,” a new voice spoke up, and Commandant Grants stepped into the consulate’s main office from a back room. “She is capable enough to have made the voyage out here already, and the supply ship won’t be refitted to make the journey back to Baticul for another three days, at least. If she wishes to help, it’d be foolish to turn away eager volunteers.”

“Commandant!” Cecille saluted.

Goldberg frowned. “She’s sunburned and her hands and feet are in bandages from blisters. She’s in no condition to—“

“She’s already delivered the medical supplies, so allow her to change jobs. Let her sit bedside to soldiers and use her healing artes. Let her listen to their stories and provide moral support. There are plenty of things she can do that won’t further aggravate her injuries,” Van stroked his beard for a moment before directing his attention to the princess. “Hello, Princess. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Trying not to stare or gawk in surprise, Natalia nodded.

"H-hello Commandant. I hope that you've been well," she managed to say as she bobbed a curtsy, "I've heard that you were crucial in repelling the Malkuth forces, despite heavy losses of your own. Thank you for that, on behalf of all of Kimlasca."

Van put a hand to his chest and bowed to the young princess in acknowledgment.

"You give high praise to one who is but a servant of the Score," he said, "You, on the other hand... My men numbered among the many lives you helped to save today, Your Highness. For that, you have my gratitude—and theirs. I trust that, should your generals allow you to remain, the good you have done so far will be multiplied tenfold.”

There was a sudden newfound appreciation for the sunburn that covered her face. It was not often she received such words of praise that actually _meant_ something. Her heart fluttered ever so slightly. Her cousin was so lucky this man was his teacher…

Van offered her a gentle smile, then looked back to the two Kimlascan generals.

“She will be allowed to help, yes?”

Goldberg let out a hefty sigh.

“Well… if it’s really what she wants to do… but no more going out in the sun! We can’t have that burn get any worse.”

“I’ll coordinate with the hospitals and see where she can be of the most assistance,” Cecille said as she started to shuffle through the papers on her desk, “Though hopefully we can find her someplace where there’s less… Ah, where there are patients more intact.”

“Have you gotten the latest casualty reports?” Van asked.

“There’s so many killed in action, and so many more not making it through treatment these reports are essentially useless by the time I get them,” Cecille sighed, scrubbing her face with her hand, “I don’t know how we’re going to tell their next of kin…”

"Brigadier General Cecille, do you know if a George Wilson was among the survivors?" Natalia asked, remembering her promise, "His brother, David, is one of the guards in Baticul, and I promised that I would find his brother for him. I meant to ask in the hospitals today, but there was no time…"

“George Wilson…?” Cecille furrowed her brow, “I can’t recall that name off the top of my head but I’ll take a look.”

She picked up the list of the headcount taken after Van’s unit had turned the tide, and jumped down to the W section to look for that specific name. When she didn’t find it, she set that list aside and picked up a couple of the various casualty reports and started to flip through them. After the fourth list, a grim expression came to her face.

“…I’m sorry, Your Highness. George was buried in one of the mass graves outside the city. He didn’t survive his wounds. It’ll take some time, but I can locate his military tags and give them to you so that you can deliver them to his brother, if that’s what you’d like?” Cecille offered, trying to find a silver lining.

The princess bit her lip, tears coming to her eyes. It was stupid, to get so upset over one soldier when so many others had also died. But she didn't know their names. She didn't know if they had family waiting for them, or if their older brothers still called them by childhood nicknames.

"...Yes, please," she whispered at last with a nod, "Thank you. I know it's a small thing when there's so much else to worry about, but..."

Van stepped towards the princess and wrapped his arms around her, making sure to be mindful of her sunburns. Goldberg sputtered and started to object, but a sideways glance from the Commandant silenced his protests.

“Go ahead and cry,” Van said softly as he gently stroked her hair, “War is painful, unjust, and cruel. You’ve seen so much devastation today, and you’ve never had to experience such bitterness before. It’s more than most adults can bear. Go ahead and cry, Natalia.”

Natalia took a shaking breath, and the tears that had formed in her eyes spilled over her burnt cheeks. She clutched at Van’s tunic as sobs wracked her body, and both Cecille and Goldberg turned away to give the princess some privacy. 

As the princess cried in Van’s arms, Cecille cringed; the royal family was so image-conscious that she had almost forgotten Natalia was only a child of fifteen.

—

Luke stared at the ceiling of his bedroom for a long, long while. That had been the first time he’d witnessed something so emotionally fraught within the Score. It left him feeling dazed—almost winded.

For days now he’d been plagued by increasing Score trances showing the bloody battle of Northern Chesedonia, watching helplessly as Kimlascan forces were decimated by Malkuth’s. He would be going about his day in the cathedral when suddenly he was in the middle of the battlefield, unable to tune out the violent clashes happening all around him.

The worst of it was when he saw Jade, that man he briefly encountered during Peony’s coronation, killing Kimlascan soldiers like an efficient machine. Something about having _met_ one of the soldiers on the battlefield made it feel all the more real and personal.

Score trances had always been an amusing outlet for him, when he was bored and wanted to explore. Now it was turning into a waking nightmare he couldn’t escape from. 

But then the battle was over, and Natalia suddenly showed up, facing the raw truth of war head-on. She braved the desert sun, worked until she bled, and ensured _every_ hospital received their supplies so the soldiers didn’t have to suffer…

She was so much stronger than he could ever be. He knew he didn’t have the courage to endure something so arduous.

Pulling himself out of bed, he shook his head and tapped his cheeks a few times to snap out of it. He needed to find something to distract himself or he’d start to panic again.

Slipping on his shoes, he exited his room and started to roam the cathedral’s halls aimlessly, taking measured, meditative breaths to calm down. He couldn’t outright meditate unless he wanted to risk being dragged back into the war zone via the Score, and with Guy off on a mission, he didn’t have anyone to talk to about his increasing anxiety. 

Settling on reading in the library, he turned a corner and came to an abrupt halt in order to avoid crashing into the Fon Master.

“—Ion!” Luke took a half step back.

“Your Holiness!” Ion gasped, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth before bowing to him, “I’m sorry! I should have been paying better attention. I didn’t mean to be in your way!” 

“…What?” Luke stared at him. This… Why was Ion acting like this? Ion never apologized to him for anything.

Ion blinked up at the older boy, holding his staff close to him, almost the same way Arietta held her plush doll.

"I was just going for a walk. I’m a little nervous—they’re supposed to assign me a new guardian tomorrow. Would you like to join me, or do you have somewhere you have to be? I'm not making you late, am I?”

Luke did a double-take. “Wait, _what?!_ New guardian? What are you talking about? What happened to Arietta?” The feral girl _loved_ Ion and did her job damn well!

Ion stared at Luke quietly for a moment, a hesitant yet contemplative expression gracing his face. This _was_ the Scion of Lorelei, who outranked even him, so that meant his usual excuse of confidentiality wouldn’t work. Being the Scion likely meant that he was already aware of the project.

“Is there a room where we may speak?” Ion asked and Luke eyed him warily. He nodded and led the younger boy to a nearby meeting room that had been vacant. When the door was shut and they were alone, Ion smiled at him. 

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Your Holiness. I’d heard so much about you.”

Luke stared at him, and his gaze narrowed at the boy. “What do you mean?”

“My name is Ion, and I’m a replica of the Fon Master.”


	7. The Death Score

_ND 2017, Ifrit Redecan_

_"Who's she?"_

_"The new girl? I heard she's Commandant Grants' little sister."_

_"No way! They don't look anything alike."_

_"They don't act like it, either. The Commandant is tough but fair. This chick thinks she's better than everyone else, just because she had some private tutoring from one of the God Generals."_

_"Huh? What makes her so special? Who cares that she's the commandant's kid sister?”_

Tear could hear the whispers of her fellow classmates behind her. She knew she shouldn't let it bother her, people had always whispered about her back in Yulia City. She was a survivor of Hod, adopted by the mayor himself, younger sister to Van—who was shooting up through the ranks of the Oracle Knights and taught the famed Scion of Lorelei—there was plenty to talk about.

Their gossip was irrelevant, though. She was here in Daath of her own merit. Yet despite that fact, something rankled her all the same…

“Hey! New girl!” one of her classmates called out and Tear grimaced. Turning, she leveled a cold glare at the other girl.

“What was it like, having a God General teach you? Bet it was intense.”

“So what?” Tear asked curtly.

“No need to be so hostile, I was only curious. It must be nice having the Commandant for an older brother. Not like the rest of us who had to actually work hard and fight for our spots here.”

“Yeah!” Another girl piped up with a sneer, “Stuck up bitch, thinking you’re too good for the rest of us.” 

“We ought to knock you off your pedestal,” a third girl threatened, cracking her knuckles.

Before Tear could open her mouth to respond, a loud clap boomed from behind them. They turned, and the girls gasped upon seeing the Scion of Lorelei himself standing there. Tear blinked in surprise—this was the first time she’d actually seen him in person. He looked… displeased.

“Y-Your Holiness!” one of the instigators sputtered, “We were just—“

With a snap of his fingers, the Scion gestured at the group of antagonizers and pointed to the doorway. His face was dark with subdued anger.

The girls shifted uncomfortably for a moment, mumbling that this was all a misunderstanding, but ultimately heeded his silent orders. Tear let out a small breath of relief when they were gone, grateful that she didn’t need to draw her knives.

“Thank you, Your Holiness,” Tear said with a low bow.

“Are you alright?” Luke asked, and she gave him a bewildered look. 

“You’re… talking with me?”

“The situation demands I make sure you’re okay. Were those girls going to hurt you?”

Tear stammered for a moment. The Holy Scion had asked her a question, yes, but she still couldn't fathom him deigning to speak directly to her. Her brother had rarely spoken of his most important pupil, leaving her unprepared for Luke's informality.

"I-I'm fine, thank you for asking," she said at last, "I'm sorry to have troubled you; I didn't realize that they would resort to physical threats so quickly, and in the cathedral no less.”

“Yes, that’s deeply concerning,” Luke nodded, “I’ll have to let Master Van know that there are soldiers threatening other soldiers. He’ll be able to—“

“You don’t have to do that,” Tear said, her face turning pink, “I can fight my own battles. The Commandant doesn’t need to be involved.”

“Commendable, but I disagree,” Luke crossed his arms, “Infighting amongst the ranks is serious, and Master Van will be able to bring them into line. What’s your name and rank?”

Tear fidgeted.

“Locrian Colonel Tear Grants, Your Holiness.”

“Grants?” Luke raised a brow, “Wait, are you—?”

“The Commandant is my older brother, yes,” Tear confirmed, “Informing him of the matter will only make the rumors of favoritism spread further. I appreciate that you wish to help, Your Holiness, but please, leave it be.”

Favoritism? Ah, now the snippets he’d overheard between the Locrian soldiers made much more sense, and explained her hesitation to speak to someone in authority about it. Hers was a difficult situation to be in, and Luke’s heart went out to her.

“I’m sorry,” Luke shook his head, “But I can’t do that. For your safety, and others’, I have to inform Master Van.”

Tear let out a short sigh.

“Yes, your Holiness. Please excuse me, I still have work to do,” she said with another bow.

“Dismissed,” Luke relented, and she stepped past him towards a new destination.

As she passed by, Luke could hear a faint ringing in the air. It was soft and sweet, like a chime, and there was something nostalgic and comforting about it. A feeling of intense need overcame him, and he fought the sudden urge to reach out and grab her. When she was gone, the ringing subsided, and the feelings vanished.

That was… that was weird.

—

The halls of the cathedral were packed as Tear walked through them, making the skin on the back of her neck prickle as she anticipated another potential attack. Yet, the people around her hardly seemed to spare a second glance for the young Oracle Knight. Instead, they were chatting amongst themselves as they cleaned, polished, and repaired.

"Hurry! Her Highness will be arriving tomorrow morning! Don't think that you can let things slide just because she'll be the only visiting royal!"

Her Highness...? Ah, yes. They must be talking about the Kimlascan princess. Van had mentioned her on occasion, though Tear barely knew any more about the princess than she did the Scion. Only that she was a couple years older than Tear herself, and was quite... well, Van had used the word _’spirited'_.

And she would be arriving tomorrow morning? 

Tear grit her teeth, dreading the presence of yet another self-absorbed and gossipy girl. She would have to tolerate the princess, though. It wouldn't do to argue with a royal—especially not one related to the Scion by blood.

—

When word of the princess’ arrival reached him, Luke hurried to go greet her. It’d been months since her last visit, and he was excited to see her again. There were so many things to talk about and catch up on. Not to mention it was nice just being in her company.

He approached his cousin with a big smile that waned upon seeing her nanny, Maggie, in tow. Natalia was seventeen years old and she was _still_ forced to bring her nanny? Granted Natalia _did_ sneak off to Chesedonia by herself which understandably upset her father…

“Your Holiness, it’s so wonderful to see you again,” Maggie said as she bowed her head to him.

Luke gave her a brief half-smile before directing his focus on his cousin.

“Welcome back!”

"Thank you, Luke," she said with a curtsy, returning his bright smile.

At sixteen, the young Scion was starting to grow into his noble features. His father's strong cheekbones and jawline were becoming evident, though they were softened and balanced by his mother's more delicate nose, eyes, and elegantly arched brows. His beautiful red hair reached his mid-back, and he finally stood taller than her.

Natalia's cheeks warmed, and she averted her eyes before she was caught staring.

"I hope you have been well. Aunt Susanne, Uncle Crymson, and Father all send their regards and well-wishes. Aunt Susanne in particular apologizes that she could not visit as well—she recently went to Belkend for a health treatment, and while it was successful, the journey was difficult for her.”

“Yes, I know,” Luke nodded, “I’ve gotten much better at controlling the Score as of late, so I’ve been checking in on our family from time to time. The new medication Dr. Shu concocted for symptom treatment looks really promising, although one of the ingredients is a hard to source mushroom from Malkuth—“

The ringing came back. Luke trailed off as he turned, looking for the source. Tear had entered the main entryway of the cathedral, walking from one hallway over towards the library. As soon as the door shut the ringing was gone, and he felt like he could focus again.

“…I’m sorry, what was I talking about?”

Natalia went stiff as Luke’s attention turned from her to the beautiful Oracle Knight. Watching as her cousin's eyes followed the brunette—only to snap back to attention as soon as she was out of his sight—made her feel sick.

"Your mother's health," she said tersely, hating herself for the sudden swell of anger and jealousy in her heart. What did it matter if Luke looked at another girl? It wasn't as though Luke was even able to interact with anyone else.

“Oh, right,” Luke said quickly, his cheeks rather flushed, “Right, the Rugnican Deathcap. With how tense things are between the two countries, it’s going to be difficult to get a steady supply chain for more medicine.” 

Of course a fomicry lab had been established within the same center that processed those mushrooms into medicine. Replicas still made him feel uneasy, but he supposed replicating a rare mushroom for medicinal purposes was a good thing.

“Ah, Guy’s gone ahead and set up our usual spot. Let’s continue talking there.”

Luke escorted Natalia, with Maggie trailing after, out to the cathedral’s gardens within the courtyard. The table in the shady corner had become a staple location for royal visits, where they could relax among the flowers and talk without Order members prying. 

Guy had finished pouring two cups of tea, placing them on saucers next to a small assortment of tea sandwiches and cakes. Upon seeing the princess he bowed and pulled out a chair for her.

“Your Highness,” he said, taking a step back when she came too close. Luke gave Guy a small smile and nodded his head, to which Guy moved to his designated post nearby.

Taking his seat opposite Natalia, Luke made a grab for one of the tea sandwiches. 

“I think I’m developing another power, but I’m not sure yet,” he said before taking a bite.

"Oh?" Natalia asked, adding cream and sugar to her cup before bringing it to her lips. Her shoulders were tense with her nanny so close, and she turned to the older woman, "Nanny, please. Some privacy." 

Her tone was civil, but threaded with an undercurrent of annoyance and command. Maggie could barely hide her displeasure, but bowed and moved to stand a little further away.

"What sort of new power?" Natalia asked Luke, wondering if it had anything to do with the Oracle Knight that had interrupted their earlier conversation.

“I’m not quite sure yet,” Luke admitted as he set his sandwich down onto a small plate in front of him, “I keep hearing this kind of… ringing in the air, like a steady tone. It’s super familiar, though I can’t quite place why. All I know is that it’s distracting and makes focusing hard.”

And so far it only seemed to happen around his Master’s younger sister. What was so special about her that this kind of thing was happening? He picked up his cup and took a long sip. He’d have to find a way to try talking to her again, see if she knew anything. If this _was_ some kind of new power developing, he wanted to know immediately to try and get ahead of it. 

The last power he inherited killed someone, after all.

Natalia pressed her lips together, trying to refrain from saying something rude. Hearing tones in the air didn't seem all that impressive, especially for someone who was supposed to be the reincarnation of the seventh sentient.

"Perhaps that Oracle Knight you were looking at earlier could help you," she said tartly, kicking herself as soon as the words left her mouth. She was a _princess_. She would come of age in a few short years, and yet here she was still letting her childish feelings get the better of her. Why was it she was always this way with Luke, specifically?

“Huh?” Luke scoffed, “You know I’m not allowed to talk with people.”

Was she trying to be unkind and cutting? He let out a short breath and grabbed for another sandwich when the ringing began again.

Immediately his gaze gravitated towards the door on the far side of the courtyard, where Tear was heading towards the barracks. When she was far enough away and he could no longer hear the ringing, Luke snapped his attention back to his cousin—only to jump from the expression on her face.

“W-what?” he asked with an indignant huff, “I heard that sound again!”

"Of _course_ you did," Natalia said, her eyes starting to sting. Daath had already taken her cousin from his home and his family. Did it need to take this last little thing away, too?

"Please excuse me, Your Holiness," she said as she rose from her seat and bowed mechanically to her cousin, "The journey from Baticul was more tiring than I expected. I would like to retire to my room for now.”

“We _just_ sat down!” Luke protested.

Every time a disagreement popped up between them, she’d defer and flee. Ifrit’s teeth, it pissed him off that she could never just say how she felt… This was all a big misunderstanding, and if she’d take the time to _listen_ then they didn’t need to fight!

But her nanny was already at her side, making sympathetic sounds of comfort and reassurance as she led the princess away. Luke let out a frustrated groan and rested his forehead against the table.

Why did things have to turn out like this?

“It’s generally frowned upon to stare at other girls while you’re on a date, Luke,” Guy said, and Luke shot upright.

“This wasn’t a date!” he threw a cloth napkin at his bodyguard, “And I didn’t do that on purpose!”

“But you still did it.”

Luke hesitated and looked away. Guy had a point, however much Luke didn’t want to admit it.

“You’re going to need to learn how to control that.”

“I _know_.”

Guy sighed, glancing around to make sure no one was watching before dropping into the princess' vacated seat.

"It's been a while since the two of you have had friction like that so early in a visit," he said, "I guess I should be glad that neither one of you started kicking or throwing things again. Not too sure how I would have pulled you apart."

“Rem, let that go. We’re not little kids anymore!” Luke huffed.

“You sure about that? The two of you are acting pretty childish right now.”

Luke frowned at that remark. How was he acting childish when it was Natalia who was running away? He’d told her the truth that he’d been hearing that ringing again, but _she_ didn’t believe him.

“She jumped to conclusions,” he muttered defensively.

“She did,” Guy nodded, “But your _staring_ at another girl didn’t give her much else to think. Her Highness _likes_ you, Luke. Looking at someone else hurt her feelings.”

Luke’s face grew hot and he sputtered, “T-that’s stupid! Don’t say such stupid things!”

Guy raised his eyebrows, chuckling.

“Oh? You're pretty red for someone who doesn't believe me," he said with a shrug, "Almost as red as the princess gets every time you smile at her, or when you take her hands for a Score reading.

"Of course I could be reading too much into it," he continued on, "You have to admit, in a purely aesthetic way, Princess Natalia is quite pretty. I'm sure she's got loads of suitors asking for an audience with her father every day; she has to have feelings for at least one of them, right?”

“Knock it off!” Luke snapped, knowing full well what his friend was trying to do, “She doesn’t, and no official suitors have been presented!”

“And how do you know that?” Guy asked.

“Because I would have seen it in the Score when I was checking… on her…” he trailed off and a horrible self realization dawned on him as Guy _smirked_. Luke’s cheeks flushed beet red and he stood up from his spot, smacking his hands onto the table so hard it rattled his teacup.

“You’re the worst, Guy!”

He stormed out of the courtyard to the sound of Guy’s amused laughter.

—

_ND 2018, Rem Decan_

The Order of Lorelei was in an uproar. Three days prior, the Fon Master and his guardian had vanished without a trace. Oracle Knights scrambled to form search parties that combed throughout the streets of Daath, looking for any information or leads regarding the whereabouts of the young leader of the Order.

The Grand Maestro slammed Luke’s door open and stalked into the room, startling the young man who’d been writing a new diary entry.

“Where _is_ he?” Mohs hissed as he loomed over Luke, “Where is the Fon Master?”

“I have no idea,” Luke answered with a frown as he set his quill down and shut his diary.

“Do not lie to me, Luke. I know you can use the Score to check on people, so tell me where Ion went!”

Luke rose from his chair, now himself looming over the man who used to scare him as a child. 

“Even if I _wanted_ to tell you, I can’t. Replicas are not in the Score, so I can’t _see_ him.”

Mohs blanched as Luke revealed his knowledge of those plans. No matter, though, there were other ways. Luke might not be able to see the Fon Master, but Ion wasn't the only one who had vanished.

"The girl, then," he said with a smirk, "Yulia forbid your dear 'little sister' has stumbled into danger somewhere. Why, Pamela and Oliver would be so distraught, don't you agree? They deserve to know where their child is.”

“They _deserve_ not to be used as leverage,” Luke glared, “Leave the Tatlins alone.”

“Why you insolent little—! You dare to give me orders?! You’re still not of age! Tell me where the girl is, Luke, or so help me—“

“There’s nothing you can do to me, Mohs.” Luke pushed past him and walked over towards the fonic elevator. His family would arrive soon, and he’d much rather spend his day with them than by being screamed at by the Grand Maestro.

—

The royal family arrived in the early morning, and were waiting as usual within the cathedral's main hall. Susanne was the first to notice her son approach, and she lit up as soon as she laid eyes on him.

"Luke! Oh, my, you've gotten so tall!" she beamed, "Look at you—handsome like your father.”

Crymson turned to face his son at that remark, sharp eyes assessing the young man that stood before him, giving an approving nod. 

“Mother,” Luke blushed a little at her compliment, trying to downplay it. Though, it _was_ nice to hear about his growth spurt. Of course, he still had several inches to go before he caught up to Guy, as his bodyguard so often reminded him.

Natalia was the last to address Luke with a vacant smile and a bowed head.

Her letters had fallen flat since she'd seen Luke watching that Oracle Knight girl. What used to be several pages double-sided dwindled to a mere half-page, and hardly mentioned the princess herself. Instead, they were brief reports on Susanne's health, or happenings in Baticul with none of Natalia's usual commentary.

“Where is Uncle?” Luke asked as he looked around, noting his absence.

“Your uncle sends his regards,” Crymson said, “Unfortunately he had matters to tend to back in Baticul, and wasn’t able to make the trip this time.”

"Hopefully things will be calmer in a few months, so he may be able to visit for the summer solstice," Susanne said, "But let's not dwell on who is not here, hm? Come, Luke, tell us what you've been doing since we last saw you."

“Currently? Not all that much,” Luke sighed, “Master Van has been dispatched to find the Fon Master ever since he disappeared, so I’ve been having to keep myself busy in the meantime.”

“The Fon Master is missing?” Susanne asked, and Luke nodded.

“For three days. No one knows where he went, but I’m sure Master will find him soon and bring him back safely. Ion’s kind of frail, so I worry a bit…”

Words he never once thought he’d say. For the original Ion, at least, but he’d been dead for years now.

“We’ll pray for the Fon Master’s safe return,” Crymson said.

“Speaking of praying,” Luke looked to Natalia, “You ready to have your Birthday Score read?”

"Only if you would oblige," she said, keeping her eyes averted.

"Natalia..." Crymson frowned. He knew it was his niece's defensive tactic, to make herself small and subservient when something was troubling her, but this had gone on for _months_ now.

Luke stared at her for a moment. Right, Natalia was _still_ upset with him for what happened the previous year. How many times had he apologized to her between then and now, both in person and through letters? 

He learned that the ringing tone he’d been hearing was actually a fonon frequency, and the phenomenon finally spread out amongst everyone. It was no longer _solely_ connected to Tear Grants, and he’d told Natalia as much.

He _thought_ that had been a good thing, and perhaps Natalia would finally lay off with the cold, formal treatment. Apparently not.

“Of course I would,” Luke frowned.

Why couldn’t she give him a chance to make amends?

“Then why don’t we all head over to the sermon hall and get the Score reading underway?” Susanne suggested.

“Right,” Luke agreed, “Let’s go.”

—

The group entered the sermon hall and took their places before the podium, where the Maestros would give their speeches before the Score reading took place. Susanne was _grateful_ to find Grand Maestro Mohs was nowhere in sight, but refused to comment on it lest that awful man suddenly show up.

Instead, Luke gave an abridged version of the speech, shortened to keep only the relative points. Then it came time to read Natalia’s Score, and he hesitated for a moment. Score readings were the _only_ time he was allowed to make physical contact with another person, but it still felt wrong to touch someone while others watched.

The princess made a soft sound as Luke took hold of her hands. Suddenly, the frosty facade was too much to bear any longer. She wanted to grab her cousin, hold him close, and apologize for letting her jealousy get the better of her. 

But Luke's eyes had already gone golden.

_The princess' year didn't seem to be particularly unusual, other than weeks of deep, dark grief brought on by the calamity at Akzeriuth. Wearing all black made Natalia's blonde hair shine and stand out against the deep scarlet of the rest of the royal family's. An accusation was made, backed by a confession, and the grim evidence of an infant's body being dug up—tenderly wrapped in a blanket sewn by the late queen herself._

_The princess was sitting in her rooms when Goldberg entered, flanked by a pair of guards. She was charged with treason and offered a choice; a gentle death via poisoned wine, or the guards would cut her down where she stood. With hardly a protest or hesitation, Natalia accepted the glass of wine Goldberg had brought in on a tray. Her hand was shaking, but not a drop was spilled as she brought the glass to her lips._

_They had said it was a gentle poison, but it was still poison all the same. Natalia choked, dropping the wine glass to the floor as her body began to revolt against the toxin. Instinctively the guards moved forward to assist her, but Goldberg held them back. Natalia's skin went ghastly white and the blue of her veins stood out as if they'd been painted on. An unearthly croaking sound escaped her throat as she staggered back and collapsed, her chest heaving with her last dying breaths._

What…?

What was this…? 

Luke looked on in abject horror as the princess drew her final breaths and the Score faded away from around him. He returned to the cathedral’s interior and saw Natalia before him, an anxious look upon her face as she awaited news of the upcoming year.

There was _nothing_ he could tell her. Nothing from within that Score could be relayed. He stared at her, hands shaking. He’d have to lie.

“The upcoming year is… discordant,” he spoke as he pulled away, “With many highs and lows as you seek to overcome challenges. There will be hardships, and it will be confusing and…unfair, but…” he trailed off as he came to a decision, “If you’re willing to take the risk, to take a leap of faith, you will be rewarded.”

Natalia faltered. She had felt his hands shaking before he pulled away, and the hesitant way he spoke concerned her. Luke was obviously hiding something, but what? The only thing that had ever gotten him so worked up in recent memory was Malkuth's proposal to marry her to Emperor Peony. She was going to come of age soon… Did Luke see a marriage match being made?

"Luke?"

Luke forced himself to smile at her, and he waved off her concerned look, “Things will be okay in the end, Natalia. You don’t need to worry. Trust me.”

“Well that was… unusual, compared to past Score readings,” Crymson commented as he looked between his son and his niece, “Is everything alright, Luke? You look a bit pale.”

“Fine,” Luke lied, “I’ve been a little under the weather as of late, so Score reading was a bit more of a challenge than usual.”

“Oh dear,” Susanne sighed, bringing a hand to her cheek, “Have you been resting? Drinking lots of water?”

“I’m alright, Mother, just… a little tired.”

"Well, you shouldn't be pushing yourself too much," Susanne frowned, "Why don't you go lay down, and we'll all gather again for lunch? Natalia, you look a little unwell yourself."

"I'm alright, Auntie," Natalia said, "I'm just... trying to understand my Score reading, that's all. It's not exactly pleasant…"

An understatement, Luke thought to himself. His mother’s suggestion to go lay down for the time being was a welcomed one. He _needed_ to get away from everyone to process what he saw and formulate a plan. He had a loose idea, but he’d need to check the Score to cement all the details before he could act.

“Resting sounds like a good idea,” Luke said, giving his mother an appreciative smile, “I’ll go do that then.”

“Go rest, and we’ll see you later. Hopefully you’ll be feeling better by then.”

Luke nodded before proceeding out of the sermon hall.

Hopefully indeed.

—

The day had been long and uneventful after the princess’ Score reading. The royal family had no choice but to entertain themselves while the Scion was away. After a walk around the gardens and a trip to the library, they gathered for lunch in the courtyard, only to find Luke was running late.

He gave several apologies, stating he’d fallen asleep, and he remained quiet and distracted throughout the meal. Once it was over, Luke excused himself to retreat back to his room. The three remaining members of the royal family were left to their own devices again, their frustration becoming palpable.

Susanne understood what it meant to feel ill, but even still, she missed her son and wanted to spend time with him. She set her teacup down and saw the disappointment on her niece’s face.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine by tomorrow,” she said, “We’ll all be able to spend lots of time together then.”

Natalia hummed in faint agreement, distractedly sipping at her own tea as she puzzled over what Luke said after his reading. Arranged marriages weren't usually a _risk_ in most senses of the word, and even if it was, _she_ would be the reward in the agreement. So what could Luke possibly have meant...?

Susanne laid her hand over Natalia’s with a soothing squeeze.

"It'll be alright, Natalia."

"Yes, Auntie," the princess nodded, trying to force herself to believe her aunt's optimism.

 _Prosperity will come to those who obey the Score._ The words had been repeated for thousands of years—enough to be held up as fact—but thinking of Chesedonia and the people in the lower quarters of Baticul, Natalia couldn't help but doubt. Had her people not been devout followers of the Score? Where was their prosperity?

And what would happen when she trusted her cousin more than she trusted the Score itself?

—

It was after midnight, and the cathedral’s long-empty hallways were dimly illuminated by fon stone lights. Luke would have called on sixth fonons to help him see where he was going, but this required subtlety. 

He came to a stop at a corner and pressed himself up against the wall, waiting as a pair of Oracle Knights walked by in lockstep. Their armor clanked loudly in the dead of night, echoing off of the metallic and stone walls, and they soon turned down a different hallway.

When the coast was clear, Luke continued on, slipping down the corridor they’d come from. He clutched the coil of rope draped over his shoulder, praying to the sentients that his cousin understood the hints he’d given her earlier. This was their only chance. 

_Her_ only chance.

He came to a stop in front of the princess’ guest room and stared at the closed door for a long moment.

“…Here goes.”

Luke slipped inside and shut the door behind him. Darker than the hallways, he had a hard time making out where everything in the room was. He groped along the wall and found a light switch, turning it on to reveal the layout of the room. The guest bed was pressed up against the far wall, and Natalia was fast asleep. His cousin looked comfortable underneath the plush comforter and soft pillows.

He stepped over to her bedside and grabbed her shoulder to give it a gentle shake.

“Natalia? Natalia, wake up,” he said.

The sleeping princess only gave a soft whine, burrowing further into the blankets. After another firm shake she stirred.

“Mmm… Luke?” she rasped, her voice still thick with sleep as she blinked up at him. She wondered if she might still be dreaming—it wasn’t like Luke to seek her out in the dead of night. If she was dreaming of him, it certainly wasn’t the first time.

"What are you doing here?” she asked as she sat upright and rubbed her eyes. Luke didn’t fade from her vision. This was happening for real.

“I don’t have time to explain right now,” Luke said in a hushed voice, “But I need you to get up. Grab a coat, your blanket, and put some shoes on. We need to move right now if we want to leave without getting caught.”

His eyes flashed gold again for a brief moment as he re-checked the Score. They still had an opportunity, the northern face of the cathedral would be unguarded for another fifteen minutes as the guards rotated their shifts. This was _really_ cutting it close, and he hoped his cousin wouldn’t fight him on this.

“Come on, get up, we need to move,” he insisted.

A coat? Shoes? What was all of this about? Natalia was about to protest when she saw Luke's eyes change. If he was checking the Score, she had little choice but to do as he said. Sliding out of bed, the princess slipped one of her pillows out of its case. She quickly gathered up her blanket, a pair of shoes, and a small sack of gald before stuffing the items in her makeshift pack.

"I assume we're trying to be quiet, but I don't have any shoes that won't make noise in the hallways.”

Luke let out a tiny breath of relief. He didn’t know what he’d do if Natalia had argued with him or demanded to know what was going on. He would tell her, but they had to get to safety first.

“You can put your shoes on later, then. C’mon, let’s go!”

—

His heart hammered in his chest as he led his cousin through the darkened maze of the cathedral. There weren’t many patrols this time of night, but those they did come across had him afraid to even breathe. When the last patrol rounded a corner and stepped out of sight, Luke rushed over to a set of double doors which revealed a balcony overlooking the city of Daath.

He pulled the rope over his shoulder and tied one end to the balcony’s railing, giving it several hard tugs to ensure nothing would give way. Satisfied, he tossed the other end of the rope over the railing before turning to his cousin.

“We’re only one story off the ground. I’ll go first, so if you fall I can catch you.”

Natalia’s stomach dropped as she looked at the rope. He still hadn't told her why they were sneaking out of the cathedral in the dead of night, and now he wanted her to _scale down the outside of it_?

"Luke..." she started again, wishing she'd taken his advice and put a coat on over her nightgown. The winter winds blowing in from Daath Bay cut to the bone, and her bare feet were already red with a chill from the cathedral's stone floors.

_“If you’re willing to take the risk, to take a leap of faith, you will be rewarded.”_

She shook her head as if to clear the doubt from her mind.

"Just don't drop me..."

Luke looked at her with true appreciation in his eyes. Stepping forward he pulled her into a brief hug.

“Thank you for trusting me. I promise I won’t drop you.”

He hopped over the railing, grabbing hold of the rope with both hands. It was a very steep drop even if there were bushes that could break his fall. Nerves were telling him this was a mistake, to get back onto the balcony right now where it was safe, but he pushed those thoughts aside. He took a deep breath, muttered a silent prayer to Lorelei, and started to scale down.

The rope was rough against his hands, and his arms struggled to support his weight. He grunted as he slipped down, doing his level best to keep quiet even with the rope blistering his hands. When he was close enough to the ground, he released his grasp and fell into the bushes with a hard thud.

His upper body and hands were in searing pain, but he survived.

Hearing the thud, Natalia rushed to look over the edge of the balcony, trying to see Luke through the darkness. A moment later she glanced back at the doorway, dreading a sudden flood of Oracle Knights.

"Are you alright?" she called down, hoping Luke could hear her near-whisper. She didn't dare speak any louder, and she strained her ears for any sound of armored footsteps coming down the hall.

Luke got to his feet and took a moment to dust himself off, brushing a few leaves out of his hair and cloak. He took mental stock of his aches and pains to ensure nothing was seriously injured. Deeming himself to still be in one piece, he craned his neck to look up at the dark balcony above him. 

“I’m alright!” he called out as quietly as he could, “Come on down!”

Natalia cast one last look at the door. She could still go back to her nice warm bed and pretend this was all a dream. The next day at breakfast her aunt would ask if she slept well, and Natalia could claim she’d wandered the cathedral’s halls because of sleeplessness. 

But Luke was asking her to trust him, and wasn’t that the least she could do?

Years of archery made climbing down easier on Natalia than on Luke, but she did wish that she'd donned a pair of gloves before she'd left her room. Natalia tried to think of herself as the heroine of her favorite novels to take her mind off the sting in her palms.

Sufficiently distracted, she attempted to move faster. Luke made everything seem urgent, and the last thing she wanted was for either one of them to get caught by a patrol. In her haste, the princess lost her grip and grasped at the air as she began to fall.

“—Natalia!” 

Luke threw his arms out and braced himself to catch his cousin. She crashed into him, the force of her fall enough to knock him onto his knees. His whole body ached for it, but he ignored the pain as he helped Natalia to her feet.

“There we go,” he breathed out as he pulled a broken twig out of her hair, “Are you okay? Does anything hurt?”

Natalia shook her head. Hurt? No. A little dazed and winded? Yes, but she'd survive it. Especially if Luke kept allowing himself to touch her in the most intimately mundane ways. Her heart was pounding and she was quite sure it wasn't just from adrenaline.

"I'm alright," she said, gathering up her pillowcase of items from where she'd dropped it. She pulled her shoes out of the case and slipped them on, "Are you okay? Where do we go now?”

“Shh,” Luke hushed, bringing his index finger to his lips. He pulled his cloak’s hood up and over his head. Dead of night or not, one could never be too careful; his hair was an immediate giveaway to his identity. 

With that done, he motioned for her to follow after, and the two of them hurried off down the cobblestone road that led through Daath.

—

The hike up monument hill was… well, monumental. Combined with scaling the wall of the cathedral, this was the most amount of exercise Luke had ever gotten in one sitting. His lungs burned in his chest while his legs screamed in protest with each new step, and sweat drenched his brow by the time they finally crested the top.

He had to take a moment to catch his breath, even if they were short on time. He leaned up against the stone monument, his hands resting on his knees as he tried to breathe without any pain.

“W-we’re almost there…” he huffed, looking at Natalia. It’d be safe to fill her in on a few details now that they were away from any Oracle Knights. “There’s… a ship in Daath Bay… that we can catch to get us... out of here...”

"Daath Bay...?"

Natalia bit her lip as she considered this information combined with Luke's current state.

Of course they'd have to travel by ship—Daath was the only city on Padamiya. If they were leaving they had no choice _but_ to travel by sea. Still, the thought of going on such a far journey, without telling anyone, had her concerned. Not to mention she wasn't sure Luke would even be able to manage the rest of the trek to port.

"Luke, _where_ are we going?" she demanded, "And don't say ‘Daath Bay.’ After that.”

Luke let out a heavy sigh. He didn’t need the Score to know that Natalia was not going to like this plan, and they didn’t have much time to waste on an argument. So far she’d been trusting him blindly, allowing him to lead her into a very dangerous situation. 

He _owed_ it to her to be honest; he just hoped his honesty wouldn’t cost him too dearly.

“Keterburg,” he said, standing upright as the pain in his chest lessened, “A cargo hauler is leaving in two hours. It’s the only ship scheduled for tonight. If we miss it…”

He trailed off, wondering what exactly he could do. They could hide out in Aramis Springs until another ship presented an opportunity to escape, but by then the Order would panic over his own disappearance, and security would be even tighter. It wouldn’t be impossible, but it would be exponentially more difficult.

“I know it’s Malkuth, but please, continue to trust me,” he said as he wiped the sweat off his brow.

Natalia stared at her cousin. _Keterburg?!_ Not only was that Malkuth territory, but the city was almost always bombarded by snow, and it was currently _winter_. Yes, Luke had told her to bring a coat, blanket, and shoes, but did he really think that a couple thin layers were enough when ships had a hard enough time reaching port in that area—let alone the frozen journey between the port and the town itself?

“ _Why_ are we even leaving?" she demanded, "The Fon Master and his guardian have disappeared, everyone is going to _panic_ when they find that we're gone too! Father will be furious!”

“I’ll tell you once we’re on the ship!” Luke urged, gesturing for her to continue following him, but Natalia had dug her heels into the dirt. 

“I refuse to move any further until you provide _some_ form of explanation!” 

They did _not_ have time for this! 

“…I saw your Death Score!" He blurted it out louder than he had meant to, and his hands balled up into tight fists, “I saw it, and I can’t allow it to come true…! This is the only way I can get you to safety, so _please_ , we can talk more about this when we’re on the ship.”

Natalia tried to draw in a breath, but her body didn’t respond.

Her Death Score...? That was what Luke had been hiding from her? And now he—the Scion of Lorelei himself—was trying to subvert the Score? It was utter blasphemy! But... but then, how could she die if she remained with their family? Natalia wanted to press the issue further, but they had less than two hours to reach the ship to Keterburg. There wasn’t time to argue.

"Alright," she whispered, reaching to take Luke's hand, "Come on, we'll have to run if we want to catch that ship.”

—

The two of them raced as fast as they could towards Port Daath, reaching the small town with only a few spare minutes. The hike up monument hill had been bad but the run to the port? Luke felt ready to pass out; black dots were starting to appear in his vision. 

He swallowed back the pain and led Natalia over to the docks, hiding behind a stack of crates as sailors and dockworkers went about loading the last bits of cargo. He double-checked the Score, and when the timing was right, he grabbed Natalia by the hand and pulled her up the gangway and onto the ship. From there it was down a narrow set of stairs into a cargo hold.

He used a nearby crowbar to pry the lid off of a large crate. Inside were bolts of heavy wool and cotton, and he struggled as he pulled a few out to make room for the both of them. 

“Get in,” he instructed, tucking the bolts behind a corner to keep them out of sight.

Glancing into the dark box, Natalia's stomach churned. With the lid on, it would be pitch-black inside; little better than a coffin. A dim memory of her mother lying in state, her porcelain skin contrasting her dark hair all the more in death, flashed through her mind. For a moment, she stood paralyzed as she wrestled logic against gut instinct.

‘Little better than a coffin’ was still better than a coffin.

She hoisted herself inside and tried to make as much room as possible for Luke. The bolts of cloth pressed down on her, muffling the sound of her ragged breathing. She kept her already cramping legs drawn close to her chest and tried not to think about anything except catching her breath.

When the princess got herself situated, Luke took one last glance around to make sure everything was in place before he clambered into the crate. He tried not to crowd Natalia the best he could, but a cargo crate only had so much space. There was no avoiding the fact they would be pressed against one another. For a day and a half. 

If it weren’t for the circumstances, he’d have been thrilled.

He reached up and dragged the lid as closed as he could, only a tiny sliver was left open, providing them with a hint of light and fresh air. Luke held his hand out to call on sixth fonons, and a small ball of soft light formed above his palm.

“We made it…” he sighed in relief, as he rested his head against the wall of the crate.

Natalia’s eyes focused on the light, half-grateful and half wondering how long it would be until Luke was too drained to sustain it. She listened to the crew of the ship finish loading the cargo and draw up the gangplank. The thuds, clangs, and shouts soon gave way to the sound of the engines firing up, before they too faded into a distant hum. Now the loudest thing she could hear was the sound of her and Luke's breathing.

In the darkness, she reached for her cousin. Her fingers curled desperately into the hem of his tunic.

"What's happening, Luke?”

The Scion sighed, the action making his ribs hurt and his throat burn. Right… he owed her a proper and full explanation. Rem, where to even begin with this?

“Earlier, when I was performing your Score reading, I saw… I saw a lot of really bad things,” he started, keeping his gaze on the small light in his hand, “You were arrested, tried, and executed for high treason… for impersonating royalty.”

"But that's absurd!" Natalia said before covering her mouth when she remembered her volume. After a few moments of waiting and listening to see if she'd been heard, she continued in a much quieter tone. "I'm the princess of Kimlasca! How could _I_ be tried for impersonating royalty?"

“Because you’re not royalty…” Luke admitted, the light in his hand wavering for a moment, “I didn’t see it during the Score reading, I had to look for it when I went back to my room, but I saw your Birth Score. The real Princess Natalia was stillborn, and your grandmother conspired with the Grand Maestro to switch you at birth, as it was within the Closed Score… She took a job in the castle to keep an eye on you. Your grandmother eventually confesses to Uncle, and the evidence is… irrefutable.”

He shivered as he recalled the body of the baby that had been dug up just outside the castle walls.

Natalia's expression of surprise shifted to a deep frown in the dim light. Luke’s story made no sense—if she truly was not royal by birth, that fact could not possibly have been concealed for so long! And even if she had been put in the ‘real’ princess’ place, how could she be found guilty of a crime she had no hand in?

"No. You read the wrong Score," she said, "I am Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, and I always _have_ been.”

Her tone was growing frantic. Luke understood her shock and denial, expected it, in fact. His revelation called into question her entire identity. He hadn’t expected her to tell him that he read the wrong Score. He was the _Scion of Lorelei_ , able to slip into the Score and experience moments throughout time as if he were truly living it himself. He held a mastery of the Score no one else had.

The very idea he had _read the wrong Score_ was so absurd a chuckle escaped him, and he had to quickly cover it with a cough before Natalia could notice.

He reached out with his free hand and took Natalia’s with a tight squeeze.

“It doesn’t matter who you are,” he said, meeting her eyes, “It doesn’t matter how you were born. You’re still my family, Natalia. Nothing can ever change that.”

"But I…”

If she wasn't a member of the Kimlascan royal family, she had no right to be as close to him as she was. Their entire relationship was based on a _lie_. How could he even consider her _family_?

Her hand trembled in Luke's as she desperately tried to think of a reason why this was happening now. Why had no one noticed? Why had her grandmother—whoever she was—waited for almost nineteen years to confess? Where were her birth parents? Had they ever searched for her, or were they also in on the plan to switch her with the real, dead princess?

Luke brought her hand up and pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles, which seemed to distract her for a moment. 

“I know this is scary. I’m scared, too,” he admitted as a lump formed in his throat, “Turning my back on the Score like this is terrifying—it goes against everything I’ve ever been taught. But you’re worth it, Natalia. You mean _so much_ to me. I’ll be _damned_ if I sit back and allow you to suffer just because ‘the Score deems it so.’”

Still shaking, Natalia edged closer to Luke. He was defying the Score for _her_ , even though she wasn't a princess. Not for any political gain, just... because he cared for her—as a person.

"I'm sorry," she murmured softly, "I-I'm sorry. I've been so distant—I thought... I thought that you… that other girl…”

Releasing hold of her hand, Luke brushed the tears from her eyes and cupped her cheek. First when she was seven, then nine, twelve, fifteen, seventeen, and now—he kept making her cry. That had to stop. No more pain, no more hardship. There had to be a future where the two of them could be happy and at peace. Somewhere far away, where the Score can never bother them again. He was going to fight for that future for as long as he kept breathing.

“We only have each other now,” Luke said, trying to give her a reassuring smile. “I won’t leave your side. I’ll stand by you, no matter what.”

Natalia tried to match Luke's smile, but a sob ruined her attempt.

"Th... thank you..."

She wrapped her arms around him as the adrenaline of the past few hours faded and a chill sank into her body. Luke was warm, safe, familiar—and for now, that was enough.

Luke tugged his cloak up over his head, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her up against his chest, the cloak forming a makeshift blanket. It wasn’t the most comfortable of positions, but at least now hopefully Natalia might feel a little safer.

With the gentle rocking of the ship against the waves and the steady engine hum that filled the air, it wasn’t long until the two of them started to doze off. Luke’s ball of light was flickering out as he lost focus, and he tried to snap himself awake. The light seemed to make Natalia relax a little more, so for her sake he would keep it going.

When at last Luke felt Natalia’s body relax into his and heard her breathing slow, he leaned in to kiss the top of her head.

“…I love you,” he whispered, snuffing out the light.


	8. Asylum

A cacophony of sounds—a deep fog horn, rushing footsteps, sailors barking out commands—stirred the two stowaways from their slumber. Natalia woke first, and she blinked a couple of times before tilting her head up to listen for anything noteworthy. Given the sudden rush of activity, they should be at Port Keterburg by now.

Involuntarily, she shivered beneath both the blanket and Luke’s cloak. Her breath was visible, and rubbing her stiff hands together didn’t do much to chase away the chill. She pressed closer to Luke, trying to absorb some of his warmth before he’d force them out into the cold.

Moving would be a mercy, though.

Moving meant that she couldn't dwell on the answers she'd worked up the courage to glean from him the previous day. Her mind replayed their conversation on an endless loop; her birth mother _had_ wanted and loved her dearly, but ended up drowning as she tried to find her lost child. Her birth father _had_ tried to storm the castle and take her back, only to be exiled and never seen again. And then there was her grandmother, who had been her nanny this whole time!

At least Natalia now knew why her nanny had always been twice as strict when they were near the water...

Her gloomy thoughts were interrupted when she felt Luke waking. 

“Good morning,” Natalia whispered.

“Mn…Morning,” Luke rasped in a thick voice as he rubbed his eyes. Rem, he was still sore all over. What he wouldn’t give for a couple of gels right about now.

"Where do we go next?" Natalia asked as she did her best to stretch, "I think we've arrived in Keterburg Bay, but it's not directly attached to the city itself. We'll have to find a carriage to take us there; unless we want to risk getting lost or freezing to death…"

“Hang on.”

Using the Score to check out their current surroundings, Luke saw the ship had indeed made it to port, and it looked like the crew was preparing to unload their cargo. However, there didn’t seem to be an opening where the two stowaways could make it out of the ship undetected… 

Two choices presented themselves: stay in the crate or get caught. 

He watched as each branch played out before coming to his decision.

“Time to get caught,” he announced as he raised his arms up to dislodge the top of the crate.

"Wait, _what?!_ ” Natalia gasped, scrambling to pull Luke’s arms back down. Getting caught was now part of the plan?! They'd be sent back to Daath for sure! What was he _thinking?!_

He ignored her protests and gave the lid a hard push. It crashed onto the metal floor of the cargo hold with a loud clang, alerting the sailors above deck.

“What was that?” one of the sailors asked.

“Go check it out,” another instructed.

Footsteps could be heard coming down the stairs. Luke pulled himself up to his feet and hopped out of the crate.

Oh, it felt so _good_ to finally stand.

He whisked his cloak away from Natalia and put it on, covering his hair just before the sailor came around the corner.

“HEY! You there!”

Luke held his hands up and feigned annoyance. 

“Damn, you caught us…”

"Us?" the sailor echoed, turning his gaze from Luke to the open crate. Stepping forward, he leaned in to come face-to-face with Natalia. "Call the city guard! We got stowaways!" he yelled up to his fellow crew members as he roughly grabbed Natalia’s arm and hauled her out of her hiding space.

"Take your hands off of me!" she demanded, struggling in the sailor's iron grip, "I am Pr—I am a lady!"

"You're a criminal, is what you are!” the sailor snapped as he yanked on her arm, "A pretty one, for sure, but a criminal all the sa—wait…You’re not with the Dark Wings, are you?!”

The sailor looked frantically around the cargo hold for a third stowaway.

“Where is your other accomplice? Come out at once!”

“We’re not bandits,” Luke tried to assure him, feeling a small thrill at _talking_ to someone without having to worry about who would see or what punishment it’d bring, “We were just trying to get to Keterburg.”

“Likely story!” the sailor snapped, “Come on, the guards will know what to do with you scum!”

—

Luke and Natalia were brought to the deck of the ship where a couple of Malkuth soldiers were already waiting for them. The sailors jeered at the stowaways, throwing out taunts and insults as they were hauled off the ship.

Their hands were locked together in metal cuffs, and they were escorted to a carriage that had bars affixed to the windows. Once they were seated inside, the door was slammed shut and locked from the outside. Slowly, the carriage began to move out of the port.

“Now we wait until they bring us directly to Keterburg’s governor,” Luke said as he relaxed into his seat and stretched out his legs as best he could.

"Yes, in handcuffs. What a lovely impression we'll make!” Natalia scowled, rattling her cuffs angrily to underscore her words. Regardless of Luke's confidence in whatever plan he concocted, it was still undignified, demeaning, and humiliating!

“It’s not so bad,” Luke started, but that only intensified Natalia’s glare, “Okay, so it’s not ideal, I agree, but this is the fastest way to get to where we need to go.”

“Is that so?”

“Keterburg’s governor will help us once she sees who we are. The detainment and handcuffs will only last for a couple of hours at the most.”

Natalia's frown didn't budge, but she sighed and tried to make herself more comfortable in her seat. What sort of help would the governor offer them? Surely they couldn't stay here, they'd be too easy to track from Daath. Besides, Keterburg was a resort town, with little by way of defense—save perhaps the weather.

"Do you have a long-term plan, Luke?” she finally asked after a long pause, "Or... Is it going to be like this for some time? Running in secret from one place to another and slipping away in the dead of night?”

“I have a plan,” Luke insisted, “The governor will secure our passage to Grand Chokmah, where the Order can’t pursue us and we can request asylum. Neither Kimlasca nor Daath can touch us once that’s granted.”

Natalia felt an anxious prickle over her skin. Seeking refuge in Malkuth's capital? That was bound to create a nasty quagmire of political, social, and religious issues. Still, their only other option was trying to outrun two armies indefinitely…

“Okay…” she said softly as her expression finally eased, “I trust you, Luke… but please, trust me, too. I want to help, and I don’t like being kept in the dark.”

Luke bit his cheek, finding it difficult to meet Natalia’s eyes. Right… he hadn’t been very forthcoming with information in all of this. He’d been just deciding things without really telling her anything, dragging her along after him. 

It wasn’t _just_ him anymore, like it had been for his whole life. He needed to think about Natalia’s needs as well.

“I’ll do better, I promise.”

Natalia held her hands up and extended her little finger out to him.

“Pinky swear?”

A pinky swear? He’d seen them in the Score, of course, but never when both people were older than seven. But of course, Natalia could be so weird about some things. And she looked so serious now...

Luke chuckled and wrapped his own finger around hers. 

“Pinky swear.”

—

As the carriage neared Keterburg proper, the two teens let out excited gasps as they took note of the silvery wonderland outside of the barred windows. With Baticul so far to the south, and Daath next to an active volcano, neither of them had experienced snowfall before.

Upon entering the city, Luke couldn’t keep a grin from spreading across his face. Keterburg was unlike _anything_ he’d seen before! Brightly-painted buildings with gaudy flashing signs advertised hotels, spas, and even a casino. They turned a corner and a small park came into view, populated by children running about and throwing snowballs at each other. 

The carriage finally came to a stop in front of a small manor on the west side of the city. One of the guards unlocked the carriage door and swung it open to drag his captives out into the cold. He and his partner marched them into the manor, staying close behind the pair to ensure they didn’t attempt an escape.

Once inside, Natalia couldn’t help but sigh with relief. She was so grateful the manor was properly heated—she still couldn’t stop shivering, and her fingernails had started to turn a worrying shade of blue.

“Watch them while I go fetch Viscount Osborne,” one of the guards said to the other as he crossed the foyer and disappeared behind a door. 

The remaining guard huffed, looking at the two stowaways they’d apprehended. Neither one was putting up a fight or trying to escape—they were likely just a young couple that wanted a free trip to the resort and casino. Dumb kids; they’d get off easy, knowing the governor.

“I think it goes without saying, but you shouldn’t stowaway,” he reprimanded the two teenagers with a frown, “Yes, Keterburg is a great place for a date or honeymoon, but it’s not worth getting put in jail for.”

"A d-date? H-honeymoon!?” Natalia stammered, her cheeks growing hot, "I... I'm not... We’re not...!"

"Eh?" the guard asked, "Whattya mean? With you, Miss, in your nightgown and all... you're not trying to elope? Then why _are_ you here?” he glanced back and forth between the two of them. “No one ever really comes here _except_ for the casino and resort.”

Before either could respond, the door on the far wall opened, and the guard returned in the company of a pretty woman. Her light brown hair was neatly tied back, and her wire-framed glasses diffused some of the sharpness in her eyes.

“Viscount Osborne!” the second guard saluted her, “These are the stowaways.”

Before Viscount Osborne could even open her mouth to speak, Luke raised his hands up and pulled off the hood of his cloak to reveal his hair.

Viscount Osborne’s eyes widened in shock, her hand coming up to cover a slight gasp, but she recovered herself quickly. She assessed his clothes, recalling the events of just a few years earlier when she and her husband had attended Emperor Peony's coronation.

"You are dismissed," she informed the guards, "Lock the door on your way out. Tell no one about this, do you understand me?”

“W-wha-?! But Viscount Osbor-“

“That was an order!” she snapped, and the guard took a startled step back. 

“Yes, ma’am!”

With that, the two guards left, locking the door behind them. Once they were gone, Viscount Osborne hurried to Luke’s side and fumbled with a ring of keys from her pocket.

“Your Holiness, I am _so_ sorry for this mixup and treatment! This is inexcusable—are you alright? You’re not hurt are you?” she asked as she found the correct key and unlocked his manacles.

Luke rubbed his wrists for a few moments. 

“We’re fine, Nephry,” he said as she began to undo Natalia’s restraints. “We came here because we need your help.”

"My help?" Nephry echoed as she freed Natalia. It was obvious that the Scion needed help if he was stowing away on ships, and dragging this young woman along with him, but what _sort_ of trouble were they in?

"Your Holiness, I don't mean to be impudent, but what sort of help could I offer to you?"

“We need to get to Grand Chokmah, as quickly and as discreetly as possible. I know it’s a lot to ask, and it puts you in a bad position, but we have no other options.”

Nephry stared at him for a long moment. The Scion’s answer only left her with more questions; why Grand Chokmah? What, or rather who, were they running from? And _why?_

“If I may ask… what do you need in Grand Chokmah?”

Luke shook his head, “I can’t say, other than we need to speak with his Majesty. It’s urgent. Please, any help you could spare. We don’t have much gald but—“

“That won’t be necessary,” Nephry said, “I can arrange for a small ship to take the two of you there…” she trailed off as she looked back at Natalia. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I never introduced myself. I’m Viscount Nephry Osborne, the governor of Keterburg.”

"Viscount Osborne," Natalia started, dropping into a curtsy before she realized that she had no idea how to introduce herself now. Technically, she _was_ still the princess of Kimlasca, at least until her father found out the truth and revoked that title...

"I am Natalia, the Scion's cousin. Thank you for hearing our plea, and for any assistance you may offer us. I understand that this is no small request, and the risk you would be undertaking in providing us aid is no laughing matter.”

“Natalia as in _Princess_ Natalia?!” Nephry said, looking more unsettled than before. 

Not just the Scion of Lorelei but the _crown princess of Kimlasca_ was _also_ standing in her home! No wonder the two of them were so apologetic and insistent upon secrecy. If the wrong people knew they were in Keterburg, the situation would become dire.

“Your Highness. I’m so sorry, I had no idea—“

"I-it's fine," Natalia interjected, "Please. We are imposing on you, don't apologize."

“O-of course,” Nephry cleared her throat before giving a quick nod, “Well then, I’ll see to it that arrangements are made to get both of you to Grand Chokmah. Until then, I recommend that you stay here to keep out of sight.”

"Viscount Osbourne, how long do you think we have until Oracle Knights arrive in Keterburg?” Natalia asked, "I'm sure that our disappearance has been noticed by now…"

“I’m sorry, Princess, but I do not know,” Nephry sighed, “If I had to make a guess, I’d say you have one more day at most before they are at the gates. Ship logs are kept in meticulous detail—it wouldn’t be difficult to determine which ship the two of you boarded.”

“Just a moment,” Luke excused himself as he went into the Score, jumping back to the night he and Natalia fled. 

_The rest of the night was uneventful. The cathedral was quiet until the following morning when an Order maid was sent to wake the princess. The empty bed caused confusion, but little panic, and several hours were spent searching the cathedral trying to locate Natalia._

_His own absence was shortly noticed thereafter._

_When no one was able to find either of them, the alarm was raised._

_”Grand Maestro Mohs!” an Oracle Knight bowed to the man, “The Holy Scion and the Kimlascan Princess are missing!”_

_“What?!” Mohs screamed at the man, “First the Fon Master and now this?! Find them this instant! Search EVERYWHERE! Bring them to me!”_

_”Yes sir!”_

The scene faded away and the trance ended. 

Luke let out a sharp sigh and rested his hands on his hips, “Well Mohs is furious, as expected. Search parties have been sent out but I didn’t see them make a connection to the cargo runner yet.”

“You… what just happened? What was that?” Nephry asked as she took a step back. 

“Huh?” Luke raised a brow.

“Your eyes, they… changed color.”

“As the Scion of Lorelei, Luke has the power to look into the Score," Natalia explained, “I don't understand it much, either, but that happens whenever he does it.”

"I... I see..." Nephry said warily. She'd never been more than passingly devout, but having evidence of Lorelei's actual presence in her midst was… overwhelming.

"Still, it won't be long until they figure out where we've gone,” Natalia said, “I don't think we should assume that we have the luxury of time. We’re already lucky it will be some time before the Kimlascan forces are mobilized, and Fa—His Majesty won’t be able to send them this far north.”

“Not unless he wants to start another war,” Luke muttered under his breath.

Nephry cleared her throat. 

“I’ll show you to a couple of guest rooms you may use for the time being. After that I’ll make the travel arrangements.”

“Thank you,” Luke said with an appreciative smile.

—

Nephry led the two runaways to the second story of her manor, bringing them down a hallway and around a corner to a pair of adjacent rooms. Inside were large, plush beds that beckoned to them after their cramped journey.

“I know it’s probably not what you’re used to, but I hope it will suffice in the meantime,” Nephry said. 

Luke stepped into one of the rooms and looked around, finding that he rather liked the elegant yet cozy aesthetic.

“It’s nicer than my room back in the cathedral.”

"I'm glad that you like it. Please, make yourselves comfortable. I'll have my cook prepare something for you to eat. I imagine that you're both quite hungry after stowing away for a day and a half. There is a guest bathroom that you are both free to use. Help yourselves to any of the salts and oils,” Nephry said, indicating a door at the opposite end of the hall, “Now, please excuse me, I must make the arrangements for your ship to Grand Chokmah.” 

Nephry bowed to both of them before turning around and walking back down the hallway. Luke watched as she left, and once she was out of sight, he glanced over to Natalia. 

“You can use the bath first,” he offered, “I’ll try to find you some better clothes.”

Natalia blushed, remembering just how underdressed she was, and tried to cover her nightgown a little more with the blanket on her shoulders. 

"A bath sounds wonderful," she sighed, thinking of the hot water melting away the chill and easing the tight muscles in her body, "Would you... would you make sure I don't spend too long in there? The past few days have been, well, _hectic_ doesn't even begin to describe it. I'm still wrapping my head around all of it, and I..."

Luke nodded. She wore a brave face very well, but he could see the facade cracking.

“Yeah, I’ll come get you if you take too long. I mean, I want a bath too—can’t let you hog _all_ the hot water,” he teased, hoping to lighten her mood a little.

Natalia couldn’t help but to smile. She wasn't sure how Luke managed it, but she did feel a little bit better.

"Maybe I _will_ use all the hot water. It’ll be revenge for you getting us arrested.”

“I always thought you _wanted_ to be an outlaw, like the protagonist in those novels you read,” Luke scoffed in mock offense.

“H-How did you…?!” Natalia shrieked as her face turned scarlet. Oh Yulia, Luke had seen her reading those books through the Score? What _else_ did he know about her? She didn’t even want to know… 

“N-Now I'm _definitely_ using all the hot water, you jerk!” she shot back as he started to laugh.

—

Despite the manor's small size in comparison to the Fabre Estate in Baticul, the bathroom was one of the most luxurious Natalia had ever seen. Decorated in soft shades of green and blue, the bath and shower were separate, and fluffy towels had been set out in anticipation of visitors. 

As she ran the taps to fill the tub, Natalia noticed the large mirror above the sink, and the array of toiletries and soaps laid out for guests to choose from.

Typical Malkuth vanity, she thought before catching herself—they had come seeking help, and Viscount Osborne had given them shelter and hospitality. Natalia had no right to judge her tastes.

Filling the decadently deep tub and selecting a lavender soap, she slipped off her dirty nightgown and eased herself into the bath. Oh, _Yulia_ this was perhaps the best bath she’d ever had. The hot water thawed her freezing fingers and undid all the soreness in her muscles, while the scent of the soap encouraged her mind to relax.

Natalia let out a sigh of relief as she leaned back to rest her head against the edge of the tub. Staring up at the tiled ceiling, her mind drifted back to the family they left behind in Daath. What was everyone doing now? Luke's parents had to be worried. Would Susanne take ill again? And what of her nanny? Was she going to take this opportunity to reveal her hand, or would she stay quiet?

Natalia shivered and splashed her face with hot water. She wanted nothing more right now than to have Susanne's arms wrapped reassuringly around her. It was a stupid, childish thing to want. Susanne wasn’t _really_ her aunt, and Natalia was too old for such things now.

Unbidden, her mind recalled a day long ago in Daath. A day that, while full of arguing and tears, was the start of something better.

_"...family can be more than blood relation alone.”_

What would Commandant Grants say now?

—

Two hours before the sun was due to rise, Nephry woke her guests to inform them that it was time to move. The various pieces she’d lain out the day before had finally fallen into place and the ship was ready, awaiting to take them to Grand Chokmah.

Luke grumbled bitterly as he sat up in bed, not at all thrilled to be conscious at this Gnome-forsaken hour. He scrubbed at his face with his hands and forced himself to get up—he could always go back to sleep once he and Natalia were safely on the next ship.

Pulling his clothes on as quickly as he could in the darkened room, Luke hurried off to the foyer of the manor. Nephry was speaking with a guard in hushed but slightly frantic tones. As Luke drew closer, he saw that Nephry’s expression was tight with concern.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, hoping that his intuition was wrong.

“Oracle Knights have been spotted within Port Keterburg,” Nephry reported and Luke’s stomach dropped.

“Do they know we’re here?” 

Nephry shook her head.

“So far they haven’t left the port. But reaching the ship without being spotted just became exceedingly difficult.”

“Dammit…!” Luke cursed under his breath. Peering into the Score, he scouted the port to see what they were up against.

_Several Oracle Knights crowded the docks, interrogating every sailor and dockhand they came across. The Malkuth natives were growing increasingly irritated by the incessant harassment of the Daathic forces, and their replies were less than helpful._

That was reassuring.

_”They’ve been spotted here, so keep looking!” a familiar voice ordered._

Luke blanched at who he saw standing on the docks.

He came out of the Score to see Nephry and the guard standing a little further away from him, both of them with wary expressions. Luke flinched, remembering Nephry’s reaction from yesterday. Right, his abilities weren’t normal…

Approaching footsteps were a welcome distraction and he turned, seeing Natalia entering the foyer. The spare maid uniform she wore was a little on the looser side in a few places, but definitely looked much warmer compared to her nightgown.

“What’s going on?” Natalia asked as she stepped over to Luke’s side.

“Oracle Knights are in the port, and what’s worse, Guy’s leading them,” he said softly as he clenched his fists.

"Guy...?" Natalia breathed. Of course Guy would be the one to track them down, he was Luke’s bodyguard after all. But still, she couldn't help the flare of anger and betrayal that washed over her. The _traitor!_

"Well, we can't stay here," she said, "They'll come to speak with Viscount Osbourne sooner or later. It's still early, and we may be able to use the low light to our advantage…."

“I can cause a diversion,” Nephry volunteered, “Officially, Oracle Knights need permission from city leadership in order to enter. I can deny them the right to enter, though given who’s missing, I doubt they’ll listen…”

“I hate to ask you for anything more when you’ve already done so much for us, but a diversion would be incredibly helpful,” Natalia said, “Thank you, Viscount Osborne, for everything.”

“It is my pleasure, Princess,” Nephry replied, “Let’s go.”

—

They approached the port via carriage, though Luke and Natalia disembarked from the vehicle a short distance away. As the carriage pulled off without them, Luke directed Natalia to follow him around the back of a large building, sticking to the shadows in the alleyway. 

Looking out, he could see the soldiers patrolling the area, still interrogating the dock workers. There looked to be around twenty soldiers in total, but where was Guy…?

“What is the meaning of this?” Nephry’s voice rang out in the darkness, and the Oracle Knights all turned to face her. “What are you all doing here?”

“Let’s move!” Luke whispered, spying their opening. 

Natalia held onto Luke's hand tightly as they darted out from their hiding place. The ship was only a stone’s throw away, but it seemed so impossibly far. If even one of those Oracle Knights turned away from Viscount Osborne, they’d be caught.

She clutched Luke’s hand for dear life, even as they made their way up the gangplank.

Once onboard the ship, Luke rushed to the control room and signaled the captain. The older man nodded and flipped a switch, causing the ferry’s engines to roar to life. 

The sound was more than noticeable in the quiet early morning hours. The Oracle Knights looked to see the ship pulling away from the dock.

“There was no departure scheduled for this morning! Where is that ship going?!” a Knight demanded.

“Watch your tone,” Nephry hissed ,“I want you lot out of my port!”

Luke watched from the deck of the ferry as an argument broke out between the Viscount and the Knights. He really didn’t like leaving her to deal with this but—

“She’ll be alright.”

Luke’s eyes widened and he whipped around. Guy stood on the opposite side of the deck.

“I ordered my men to heed her instructions.”

“Guy!?” Luke balked, taking a step back from his friend, “What are you—?”

“Even with the Score, you didn’t predict me finding you? You’re getting sloppy, Luke.”

Having asked the captain where their quarters were, Natalia returned to the deck to speak with Luke. Seeing Guy, she froze, but there wasn’t much that got past Cato the Blazing. The God General turned and gave her a narrowed look.

"The two of you have a lot of explaining to do."

"We're not going back," Natalia said quickly.

“Oh?” Guy raised a brow, “And why is that? Enlighten me.”

Luke shook his head. Guy was his friend, they owed him an explanation, but the reasons for their escape were too sacreligious to mention where anyone could hear them.

“Not out here.”

—

Following the pair to one of their cabins, Guy leaned up against the doorframe and acted as a barrier. He crossed his arms and frowned as the two of them got themselves situated—Luke taking a seat on the edge of the bed and Natalia electing to sit in an adjacent chair.

“Do either of you have _any_ idea the sheer _hell_ you put me through? Mohs has figuratively turned the Order on its head, Duke Fabre threatened to kill me, and I’ve been awake for the last two days trying to find you.”

“My father did _what?_ ” Luke asked, horrified.

“Well _he_ can’t be responsible for losing the Holy Scion and Kimlasca’s crown princess, so clearly it’s _my_ fault you two ran away. Now tell me why the hell we’re even out here!”

Natalia flinched back in her chair. Guy was intimidating enough when he was acting as a God General, but somehow being scolded by him was so much worse. She ducked her head, unable to meet his eyes as her face flushed with embarrassment.

"....Luke saw my Death Score when he did my reading for the year," she admitted quietly.

"Your Death Score?” Guy repeated, looking at Luke expectantly.

Luke could only nod, keeping his gaze directed at the floor. Thoughts of that dreaded Score crept back into the forefront of his mind, taunting him with images of Natalia struggling against the effects of the poison, of her lifeless body sprawled out on the floor. 

“Yes,” his voice cracked when he managed to speak, “Yes, it’s true. It was.... _horrible_.”

Guy glanced at Natalia, who was still huddled in her chair and refusing to make eye contact. He’d always thought that hearing the news of the death of a Kimlascan royal would make him feel like a little piece of justice had been dealt, but it simply wasn’t there. Instead he felt _concern_ , of all things, for the princess. Van had constantly chided him for his soft heart, and now it seemed it had finally betrayed him.

“What did you see…?” he asked softly, returning his attention to Luke.

“Do you really want to know?”

“Yes.”

And so Luke told him. 

Guy’s eyes widened as Luke laid out the facts leading up to Natalia’s death sentence. When Luke reached the part about the poisoned wine, his breath hitched and his voice faltered, but he pushed through until the end. Guy was left reeling in disgust. The fact that the Kimlascan royalty would so _easily_ discard one of their own to protect their image only reaffirmed his simmering hatred.

He also realized now why Luke would go to such extremes to keep Natalia away from both Daath and Kimlasca.. To fly in the face of the Score—this wasn’t just a teenage crush.

What was he supposed to do though? Bringing them back to Daath meant signing off Natalia’s life. But if he helped them run, he’d be a traitor to the Order and could jeopardize Van’s plans.

"Emperor Peony will grant us asylum in Grand Chokmah," Natalia finally spoke up, "Or at least, Luke has reason to believe he will. Taking us back by force would only create further divisions between Malkuth, the Order, and Kimlasca, but if you were to find us _after_ asylum had been granted…”

Guy raised his brows. That… that was actually a good idea.

“You certainly are shrewd, Your Highness,” Guy said with a tired laugh. 

“So then…?” Luke leaned forwards.

“I haven’t found either of you yet. Officially, that is.”

Luke let out a hefty sigh and his shoulders relaxed.

“Thanks, Guy.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Guy said, shaking his head, “There’s still a lot to talk about, and you’ll need to determine a course of action that’s not just hiding out in Grand Chokmah. But that can wait until after I ‘find’ you. For now, I’m going to bed. I’ll be down the hall.”

He turned with a half-hearted wave and made his way to his own cabin. A visit from Princess Natalia was never complete until she and Luke had caused him some kind of trouble, and now they’d really outdone themselves.

Natalia let out a slow breath after Guy left. That could have been very, very bad. They were lucky that Guy was willing to overlook a few things.

"You know, Guy 'finding' us in Grand Chokmah may also help Viscount Osbourne," she said, "She'll have plausible deniability with regards to our presence in Keterburg, and our trail will be that much more obscured."

Luke nodded as he took in a few deep breaths. He didn’t want to admit just how anxious that whole exchange made him. Guy was his closest friend—the thought of having him for an enemy was not something he wanted to think about. Other than Natalia, Guy was all Luke had. Even if their friendship wasn’t over yet, events were pushing it towards its breaking point.

“Y-yeah,” he said as he stood up, trying to distance himself from his negative thoughts, “Yeah, Nephry will be okay. Even if they did know she helped us, Daath won’t be able to do anything to her without sparking a diplomatic incident. We’ll make it to Grand Chokmah and everything will be okay.”

Nodding, Natalia tried to smile at her cousin. He really wasn’t very good at hiding his feelings.

“So… are we roommates for the rest of this journey?" she asked, trying to distract him.

Luke sputtered as a hot blush crept to his cheeks. It was true that they’d slept next to one another in the crate, but this was different! A _bed_ was involved, and his heart was hammering a mile a minute within his chest at the very _thought_. 

“I uh…n-no. I’ll just… I’ll just take the bunk across the hall…” he muttered as he quickly excused himself from the small cabin.

Once inside his own room, he shut the door and pressed his back to the wall. Slowly, he slid down until he was seated on the floor.

Rem, his face was still burning… Why was he getting himself so worked up? Stupid, stupid, stupid!

—

Luke, Guy, and Natalia stood out on the deck of the ship, watching as they pulled into Grand Chokmah’s port. Luke grinned when he saw the familiar ivory and aquamarine architecture—the large walls that surrounded the city felt welcoming and safe, like they were protected within a warm embrace from the outside world. 

“It’s great to be back. I missed this place”

“Yeah,” Guy nodded, “And you don’t have to wear a stupid hat this time.”

“Don’t remind me!” Luke huffed as Guy laughed.

Natalia didn’t look nearly as excited. Despite Luke's glowing descriptions of Grand Chokmah and its emperor, she could only see the Floating Fortress. A city that could easily become a prison, trapping them for the rest of their days.

Then again, a small voice at the back of her mind needled her, what was Baticul? What was Daath?

She frowned, looking down at the sun shining off the water. The waves were a shade of blue usually reserved for the illustrations in books, rather than the gray and murky waters of the harbor back home.

"Baticul is just as nice, in it's own way. And it's bigger, too,” she said defensively.

“Of course,” Luke said with a nod, recalling the times he’d seen Baticul within the Score. 

The castle and his parents’ estate were unquestionably beautiful, the coliseum grand with its many festivals, and the city center itself populous with hardworking and industrious citizens. He’d never actually _been_ to Baticul in person, though. He’d only been a passive observer, unable to interact with anyone. In Grand Chokmah, he’d felt the pavement under his feet, felt the breeze coming off the ocean. He’d actually spoken with someone, and he even had something of a friendly standing with the Emperor.

When the gangplank was lowered, the trio disembarked. Luke hadn’t bothered to wear his cloak, so the sight of bright red hair had many of the assembled guards on edge. Before either Natalia or Guy could ask what the next step was, the tension overflowed.

“Your ship isn’t authorized to be here,” one of the guards closest to them said, “State your identities and business in Grand Chokmah!”

“—It’s alright,” a familiar voice spoke up from the rear of the crowd.

The guards turned and stepped aside, allowing a man to approach the Scion and his companions. Luke swallowed hard and took an uneasy step back when he recognized who it was.

“Sir?” one guard questioned.

“They are the esteemed guests of His Majesty here on unofficial business. We’re to escort them to the palace.”

Sharp red eyes turned to look at wary green ones.

“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Your Holiness.”

Immediately the guards began to murmur amongst themselves as they all looked on at Luke curiously. Luke kept his gaze locked onto the soldier in front of him, recalling with excruciating clarity the sight of him covered in gore, slaughtering Kimlascan soldiers with a master’s ease in the sands of Chesedonia.

“Colonel Curtiss,” Luke stated dryly, doing his best to keep his voice from shaking.

_Curtiss?_ Natalia's ears pricked at the name. Colonel Curtiss, the one her maids had been gossiping about on the day she'd set out for Chesedonia. The one they called 'The Necromancer'.

Guy cleared his throat, hoping they could move this along a little faster. Luke looked slightly panicked—Guy didn't even want to know what he'd seen of Jade Curtiss in the Score—and Natalia looked like she was about to strangle the Colonel with her bare hands.

"Princess Natalia, I presume?" Jade continued with a small bow to her as though nothing was amiss, "Unfortunately, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of making one another's acquaintance before now."

“Oh, I am well acquainted with you, Colonel," Natalia said in a voice that could have cooled the depths of Mt. Zaleho, "Your reputation precedes you.”

“I’m certain,” Jade said as he brought his hands around behind his back, “People do love to spread gossip and rumors. In any case, Viscount Osborne informed me of the situation via carrier pigeon, and I’ve relayed that information to the Emperor. He’s expecting you within the palace.”

“Right. Please, lead the way,” Guy said, and the Colonel escorted the three of them over towards the imperial palace.

—

Luke held his breath as the doors to the audience hall opened up, and for a moment he felt like he was thirteen again. Peony was seated atop his throne, looking no real different from a few years ago. His hair was a little longer, perhaps, and his face more mature. There were council members standing to his side as well, each of them eyeing the group with curiosity and suspicious mutterings.

“Your Holiness, is that really you?” Peony stood from his throne as they approached, “You’ve really grown up!”

"He's grown up enough to cause trouble for the Order," Guy said, glancing over at Luke reproachfully. A couple of days of rest had certainly helped his disposition, but he wasn't quite ready to let go of his irritation, considering the stress and exhaustion Luke had put him through.

"Well, all the better for it," Peony said with a cheeky grin. His eyes drifted to Luke's other companion, and his expression shifted into one of interest, "And this must be Her Royal Highness, Princess Natalia. It's an honor to finally meet you, Princess, welcome to Grand Chokmah."

Natalia hesitated, now faced with being directly addressed by the man whose advisors had pushed her as a marriage candidate. Her mind scrambled for how to respond, grasping for the words her etiquette lessons had drummed into her until they were more familiar than her own name.

"Your Majesty," she managed to say, dipping into a curtsy.

“So,” Peony rested his hands on his hips as he turned to look at Guy, “From what Jade’s told me, you guys are on the run and need some assistance. Care to elaborate?”

"I'm not on the run, Your Majesty," Guy said, "As a God General and as a bodyguard to the Holy Scion, I have been tasked by both the Order of Lorelei and Duke Fabre with finding His Holiness and Her Highness. I was on a solid trail, but I was unable to confirm their precise location until this morning."

"And yet you haven't dragged them back to Daath," Peony mused.

"It didn't seem wise to incite something with so many of your guards on the docks," Guy said smoothly, "Even more so when Colonel Curtiss arrived.”

“I’m certain,” Peony couldn’t help a grin.

Unable to wait any longer, Luke stepped forward. 

“Your Majesty, we’ve come to ask you for asylum.”

The emperor’s assembled council members burst into objection at Luke’s words, each man trying to make his voice heard over the others. Accusations and demands were thrown out in such numbers that not a single word could be heard clearly.

“Sire, you mustn’t!” the emperor’s oldest advisor, Sesemann, rushed to Peony’s side, “Whatever they are seeking asylum for is a matter that Kimlasca and Daath need to sort out themselves. If we’re to harbor these two, it gives Kimlasca grounds to attack us _again!_ ”

"Your Majesty," Natalia said, "We would not have come to you if we had any other choice."

Sesemann waved his hand dismissively. 

”Your Majesty, this plea for asylum is ludicrous. Why should we jeopardize our country’s safety by—“

"No one in this room has asked for your opinion or your input," Natalia cut him off, “We are here because the Holy Scion deemed it so. You’d dare to question Lorelei’s Chosen?”

“I never said that!” Sesemann puffed up, “I’m sure His Holiness had his reasons for coming here but—“

“But nothing! If this is Lorelei’s will, who are you to argue against his Holy Scion?”

“Enough!” Luke snapped at both of them, “Stop that, stop all of this! I have a name, it’s Luke. You _know_ that, Natalia. And Your Majesty,” he turned to face the emperor before bowing to him, “I’m not here as a member of the Order, I’m here as a person with no other options begging for help!”

The council members quieted at Luke’s outburst, with only a small handful daring to continue whispering their doubts and concerns. 

Peony’s expression grew serious—from the sounds of it, things were much worse than he anticipated.

“Alright, alright, Luke,” he said, raising his hands in a placating gesture, “We’ll talk this over and figure out what to do.”

"Your Majesty, perhaps a private conversation in more comfortable settings would be appropriate," Jade suggested, "With relations between Malkuth, Daath, and Kimlasca as tense as they currently are, it may be for the best to limit the number of contributors to the conversation.”

“Yes, that would be for the best,” Peony agreed with a sage nod, “and I know just the place.”

—

“—Gelda!” Luke exclaimed happily as he bent down and scooped the little rappig up into his arms. The rappig gave a delighted squeal, and she nuzzled up against his arm before licking his fingers. 

“Aw, I’ve missed you too, girl. I didn’t think I’d ever get to see you again.”

Peony tried to hide his snicker as he shut the door to his bedroom, allowing for some much needed privacy. He’d gotten some strange looks from people in regards to his darling pets, but it couldn’t be denied that they were a wonder at soothing frayed nerves.

“Make yourselves comfortable. And sorry for the mess, these little troublemakers love to get into everything and undo all the maids’ hard work.”

“Don’t lie to our guests, Your Majesty,” Jade sighed, “We all know the rappigs didn’t make this mess.”

Peony only laughed at Jade’s remark as Luke glanced around, counting one more rappig than there had been four years ago.

“Who’re you?” Luke asked the new rappig.

“That’s Aslan,” Peony beamed.

While Luke seemed more than happy to make himself at home, his two companions were a little less at ease. Guy lingered near the door, tension lining his face and one hand resting on the hilt of his blade. Luke certainly dragged them all into quite a mess, even if Guy couldn't really blame him for it. If he had been able to foresee what would happen to his own family, if he'd been able to prevent it in some way, no matter the consequences, he would have done the same thing.

Natalia, meanwhile, was doing her best not to turn her nose up at the literal pigsty that was the emperor's private quarters. Did they really have to have the conversation in _here_? Why couldn’t they be in a private, clean, sitting room?

" _Luke,_ " she said, crossing her arms with a frown, "May we get to the matter at hand, please?”

Luke glanced down at the rappig in his arms before looking back to Natalia. Chuckling sheepishly, he set Gelda back down onto the floor.

“Right, sorry.”

“So…” Peony took a seat on the nearby sofa, “Asylum. What in the world did you do to anger both Kimlasca and Daath? And why’d you come here?”

“I saw a Death Score that I refuse to allow to come to pass,” Luke admitted quietly. Peony’s expression tightened, and he sat up straighter as Luke continued. “We came here because there’s nowhere else to go…”

“The Order will brand you blasphemers, heretics.”

“I know…” Luke nodded.

The emperor glanced at Natalia. Given that Luke had dragged Kimlasca's beloved princess to Malkuth’s capital city, it wasn't hard to predict who that Death Score had been for.

He'd heard about the princess; her actions in Chesedonia, and her determination to provide for all of the citizens of her country, painted a favorable picture of her character. She might be the angle with Kimlasca he’d been looking for, but there was still the cost of those ambitions to consider.

"The Kimlascan people won't be happy that their princess is staying in the capital of an enemy country," Peony continued, "And its nobility won't hesitate to capitalize on that to start a war with my empire."

"Your Majesty," Natalia said, stepping forward through the clutter on the floor, "If you chose to grant us asylum, I will immediately write a letter to Fa... to His Majesty King Ingobert VI, assuring him that I am unhurt and here of my own volition, with the intention of staying for as long as it takes to arrange peace between our countries."

The emperor raised his eyebrows slightly as Natalia tripped on her words, but gave no other indication that he’d taken notice. That was an interesting little detail he’d keep in mind...

"It’s a clever plan, but who's to say that your father will share that information with the people?" Peony mused, "You have to admit, it's in his interest to keep the people in a state of outrage.”

"I can send a similar letter to every magazine and newspaper publisher in Baticul, addressed to the people of Kimlasca," Natalia replied easily, already crafting both documents in her mind, "I'll send it out ahead of the letter to His Majesty, so that he won't have time to quash its publication. Of course, it would help if I had something a little more credible than pure whim and good will as a reason for my decision..."

Peony drummed his fingers on the arm of the sofa as he contemplated their predicament. The princess’ plan was a solid one and offered a good chance to finally bring about a lasting peace. Of course, there was also a very real possibility of Kimlasca claiming it to be Malkuth propaganda, but…

“I take it revealing the contents of the Death Score would be ill-advised?” he asked and Luke looked uncomfortable, “I won’t ask what’s in it, that’s not my place, but Her Highness does have a point in needing some credibility and weight for her choice to stay here.”

“It’s…” Luke fidgeted, “…it’d create a scandal for the Crown. It’s information that could turn the Kimlascan people against us.”

“I don’t think they would,” Guy said, drawing the room’s attention, “The tales of Her Highness’ compassion and devotion to others have reached Daath and beyond. That alone speaks clearly of how the people see her. I doubt they’d so easily turn their opinion against someone who has spent so many years championing for them.”

Natalia turned red at Guy's praise. It was still a gamble, though, to assume she'd amassed enough good will with the Kimlascan people to reveal something so shocking.

"I think it may be best to reveal that piece of information in a more controlled way," she said slowly, "This may not be the time. Even if the people of Kimlasca stood behind me, turning their outrage against the Crown could result in an open rebellion."

"A rebellion would at least keep your nobility occupied," Jade said from where he'd been watching the scene unfold, "You are the only heir to the throne. Kimlasca would prioritize putting down the rebels who would jeopardize their government, rather than sending forces to bring you back."

"Colonel Curtiss, while I understand you may have your own opinion, my people are not cannon fodder!" Natalia flared, "I would go back to Baticul to be executed myself before I let that happen!”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Peony said, giving Jade a look, “Your Highness, please accept my sincerest apologies on behalf of this idiot. No one is asking you to sacrifice the safety of your people.”

“My apologies, I was merely suggesting an option,” Jade said, taking a step back.

“A rather bold one,” Guy muttered under his breath.

“There’s also Daath to consider,” Peony continued, directing his attention to Luke, “Sheltering you would severely damage our relationship with the Order. Daath has threatened over the years to revoke reading the Score for Malkuth. I fear this will be grounds for such a thing, and while I can’t say that I would personally feel a great loss, many of my people would.”

“That’s…” Luke started, but he tapered off as he realized he didn’t know what to say. It was true, Mohs _was_ that vindictive and _would_ do such a thing.

"We understand, Your Majesty," Natalia said in a tight voice, "You have your own people to consider; we cannot expect you to set them aside for us."

So that was it. The only thin hope they had left was out of reach. Rather than fear, Natalia felt a cold wave of acceptance wash over her. If she had been Scored to die, the least she could do was pretend to be a princess a little longer and face her fate with dignity and grace.

"Luke, we've troubled everyone long enough. Let's let Guy bring us back to Daath. It’s still early enough that it might not be so bad..."

"Wait, so that's it?" Guy demanded furiously, "You're going to just go back and let them kill you without a fight?!”

“Guy!” Luke gave his friend a stern look, “We don’t have to do that. We’ll… we’ll think of something!”

His mind raced for some solution. There had to be places they could hide, places where they’d be safe. They could wear disguises, change their names, live as normal people amongst the masses.

“I haven’t rendered my verdict yet,” Peony said, “It’s true that Malkuth’s relations with Daath will worsen in the immediate future if you do take refuge here, but there’s also the longterm to consider. Luke, you are _above_ even the Fon Master. Should you return to Daath in the future, you’d have the power to overturn any sanctions or restrictions you don’t agree with.”

Luke blinked. That was true. After living under Mohs’ and Evenos’ thumb all his life, he had almost forgotten he was to rule the Order when he came of age. Of course, his own Death Score rendered that point moot. But if he was going to defy the Score for Natalia’s sake, who was to say he couldn’t fight his own fate as well?

“And as for you, Your Highness,” Peony looked to her, “I sincerely believe that you are our countries’ best hope at achieving lasting peace. Call it self-serving if you’d like, but your death would result in another war, and I cannot stand by and allow that to happen. We’ll have to find a way to mitigate the immediate fallout and consequences in order to have a payoff in the long run. We can send your letter along with a peace missive to King Ingobert as a first step.”

“So then…?” Luke held his breath.

“I, His Imperial Majesty Emperor Peony Upala Malkuth IX, hereby grant your request for asylum.”

The sudden flood of relief was so intense that Natalia nearly collapsed. The unnatural weight of the past several days was all at once just... _gone_. They were safe. Luke was free—out of Daath, out of the Cathedral, and away from Mohs.

"Th-thank you, Your Majesty," she breathed out, giving the emperor as deep a curtsy as she could muster.

"There's hardly a need to thank me. After all, your survival is in my interest as well."

Guy finally let his shoulders drop, his hand falling away from his weapon. Managing the fallout would be an ordeal, but at least Luke and Natalia had a safe base of operations for the time being.

"Your Majesty, accommodations will need to be arranged for your new guests," Jade said, "Shall I inform your staff?"

"Thank you, Jade," Peony nodded. Jade bowed and said nothing further as he exited the room.

“As asylees, you have the rights and the protections of any and all Malkuth citizens. You must still abide by our laws, of course,” the emperor said, looking between Luke and Natalia, “God General Cato, as Luke’s bodyguard, those protections extend to you as well for as long as you remain in Malkuth, however you will not be granted full asylum and therefore still hold your rank within the Order of Lorelei.”

“Of course,” Guy said with a nod.

“Though, there is the question of how you wish to address your… fame, Luke.”

“My what?” Luke furrowed his brow.

“You’re the Scion of Lorelei; if you chose to walk the streets without guards or a disguise you would be mobbed.”

Luke shuddered upon recalling the memory of his first carriage ride through Daath.

"Looks like you already have some experience with that," Peony said, half-amused and half-pitying him, "The easiest thing to do to remain inconspicuous would be to change your hair."

"Change his hair?" Natalia echoed. 

It was completely unthinkable! Luke's hair was a beacon of his place on Auldrant, mentioned outright in the Score itself! It would be a shame to cut or dye that beautiful cascade of silky red...not that she had been looking.

"What do you think, Luke?" Guy asked.

Luke instinctively grabbed at his long locks. He’d been growing it out for years now at the insistence of the Grand Maestro.

“Ah, well… I guess I’ll have to think about it.”

“Of course. It’s a very big change—just something to consider,” Peony said before he stood up and placed his hands onto Luke and Natalia’s shoulders, “Now... welcome to Malkuth.”


	9. In the Garden

With no more needing to run, and the palace’s many amenities, Natalia was beginning to feel like a human being again. Her nerves settled into a faint background hum that she could ignore while the emperor's maids brought in bolts of cloth for her inspection, and a tailor measured her for new garments.

After the tailor and maids had left, she drafted her letters to the people of Baticul and the King. She signed and posted the letter to her people. As for the letter to King Ingobert, she gave it to Emperor Peony to add to the peace missive he planned to send. She could only hope that they would be enough to tide things over until a true peace could be established.

Several days later, a knock on her door made Natalia set aside her reading. Upon answering, she was surprised to see two maids carrying armfuls of garments and boxes of accessories.

"Wh-what...?" Natalia stammered as she took a startled step back. 

When Peony had told them he would provide them with new clothes, she had expected the basics—and even then, she felt guilty about the gald he was spending on them in addition to providing them sanctuary. This appeared to be enough to keep a socialite well-attired for a full season!

"His Majesty likes to design clothes as a hobby," explained one of the maids as they stepped past Natalia into the room, "But he says that women's clothes are the most interesting because of the variety. He doesn't often get to use those designs, so he really went all out.”

Unsure of what to say about _that_ , Natalia examined one of the dresses the maids had laid out. It had been made in a light sky blue color that she had picked, and even at a glance she could tell the garment was well-crafted. What she wasn't so sure about, though, was the style.

"Do you like that one?" the other maid asked, "Let's try it on you. May, help her with the dress."

"I..." Natalia started, blushing as she imagined how the dress would look on her, "Is it a nightgown?”

“What?” the first maid, May, laughed as she picked up the dress in question, “Goodness, no. This is a typical style of day dress that many noblewomen fancy. It’s both flattering and comfortable. Perfect for strolling through the gardens or lounging with some afternoon tea.”

“That color really suits you!” the other maid said as May handed the dress to Natalia, “It compliments your golden hair so beautifully. You’ll look just like Malkuth nobility.”

“Let’s get these dresses on and see if any need extra tailoring. We want to ensure your new wardrobe fits. Gwen, stop swooning and give us a hand,” May said, lightly shoving her companion’s shoulder.

“So many gorgeous dresses… I’m so jealous,” Gwen sighed as she picked up another garment, “His Majesty designs our uniforms, but his council members don’t allow him to redesign them very often. Otherwise he’d blow Malkuth’s annual budget with how many ideas he has,” she ended up giggling. 

Before Natalia could protest, she was pulled behind a silk folding screen. For the next two hours, Gwen and May helped Natalia try _everything_ on.

—

Luke stared down at the pair of scissors before him. 

Mohs and the other Maestros had forbidden him from cutting his hair—saying that it was a status symbol. When he was younger, Luke hated it. It was yet _another_ choice he had stripped away from him. As he grew older, he learned to tolerate it, then, finally appreciate it. His hair was beautiful—unique, and Natalia seemed rather fond of it.

He’d spent the last several days stuck inside the palace as he wrestled with the idea of changing his hair. Even though he was no longer under the Order’s control, it still felt like he was, like at any moment a Maestro would burst through the doors and yell at him for even _having_ a pair of scissors.

Luke grabbed the scissors in question and looked at his reflection on the blades.

Peony was right, though. His hair meant he was the Scion, and he’d never blend in. If he wanted to be his own person and not some religious prop, he needed to distance himself from his identity as the Scion. Besides, his hair would grow back.

Taking a deep breath, Luke made the first cut with an audible snip.

—

Gwen and May had convinced Natalia to at least _try_ wearing her new dresses outside of her bedroom. As much as they insisted she could go into the city dressed as she was, Natalia put her foot down and refused to go beyond the walled palace gardens. Even within the privacy of the thick foliage and winding, flower-lined paths, she felt far too exposed.

The maids had been right, however; the dresses were very comfortable—almost too comfortable. There was no tight cinching of a corset, no voluminous skirts, no yards of frill that made her look more like a cupcake than a princess. And the garments _were_ flattering, especially after Gwen had adorned her hair with a delicate silk flower.

In the garden, Natalia found a seat on a bench, taking in breaths of fresh air and adjusting to her new attire. Perhaps in a day or two she'd feel bold enough to walk through the streets of Grand Chokmah, but what was she supposed to do after that? Before now there had always been lessons, tea with her aunt, public works meetings, and ceremonies where she was needed to represent the Crown.

She felt far too idle for her own liking.

“Oh, _wow_ , Your Highness is that you?” Guy asked as he stepped out into the gardens.

“Natalia,” she corrected him, bristling slightly, “You forget that I’m an impostor with no claim to the Kimlascan throne. So please, just call me Natalia.”

Guy scratched the back of his head. Even with her explicit instructions to do so, calling Natalia by first name felt… wrong. It reminded him of the first time he met Luke in person and how uncomfortable he felt then, too.

“Alright, Natalia…” he tried out her name slowly as he took a seat on an adjacent bench, “You pull off Malkuth’s style well. I think Luke will really like it.”

“...like what?” Luke asked as he entered the gardens from the opposite side.

Guy did a double-take and stared, trying to reconcile the teen standing on the garden path with the boy from Daath. Instead of a waist-length cascade of red, Luke’s hair was now cropped to the nape of his neck.

“You cut your hair!” Guy exclaimed as he stood, “Wow, I haven’t seen you with hair that short in a _long_ time.”

Luke chuckled weakly, “It’s not bad, is it?”

"Nah, it looks fine" Guy said as he circled around to get a view of the back, "Man, Mohs would be _pissed_ to see that you cut off so much!"

Natalia, meanwhile, was trying not to stare the way Guy had. Luke’s new hairstyle gave him a more youthful appearance. He also looked... lighter, somehow, like his hair had been a weight on him.

"It's..." she started slowly, trying to figure out her feelings to such a drastic change, "...different. I do feel a little sad, though. I was always so jealous of your hair.”

Luke glanced at his cousin curiously. 

“You were? I never realized.”

Her jealousy made sense when he thought about it. Her blonde hair set her apart from the rest of the royal family. Hell, succession in Kimlasca-Lanvaldear was _based_ off of those born with red hair and green eyes in order to keep those traits dominant within the family. Undoubtedly there’d been gossip about Natalia’s legitimacy, which she more than likely overheard at some point.

“Those new clothes look good, too,” Guy commented as he gestured to Luke, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in proper pants before.”

Luke laughed, sticking his hands into his pants pockets.

“Yes, the Order does love its robes, tunics, and tights. These pants are _so_ comfortable! And I really like the jacket His Majesty made for me, too.”

He spun around to show off the white jacket trimmed with gold. Natalia covered her smile, glad to see Luke so relaxed.

“Natalia,” Luke said, his cheeks turning pink as he turned his full attention to her, “That dress looks great on you.”

"Th-thank you," Natalia murmured, shifting her eyes from Luke to the small flowers beginning to creep over the edge of their bed and onto the path.

“Say, Luke,” Guy said, looking between the two blushing teenagers and trying not to grin, “Why don't you show Her High—Natalia, around the gardens, since you've been here before? I'd offer, but, you know…"

“Eh?” Luke sputtered, his face growing just a tad hotter than before, “Ah, s-sure, I can do that, if you’d like, that is?” he asked Natalia, who nodded meekly at him. 

With a small smile, he reached out, offered her his hand, and helped her to her feet. Natalia linked her arm around his, and they set off into the beautifully manicured gardens of Grand Chokmah’s Imperial Palace.

—

As they walked along the painted cobblestone path, Luke pointed out different plants and locations, explaining when he saw them during his visit for the coronation. They turned onto a new path, which brought them onto a small bridge over a stream that fed a large, clear pond.

“This place is nothing at all like the garden in the cathedral,” Luke said as he watched a few colorful fish with long fins swim below them, “I would have spent every single day outside if Daath had a garden like this.”

"I must admit, the gardens here are quite amazing," Natalia said in agreement, "The gardens in Baticul seem so... boring in comparison. They're beautiful, of course, but it's nothing like this."

Perhaps if somehow King Ingobert would accept her as his heir and peace could be reached with Malkuth, she could start bringing some Malkuth aesthetics to Kimlasca.

A comfortable silence fell between the two of them as they watched the fish, and Natalia bit her bottom lip as she glanced at her cousin’s reflection in the water. It’d been a few days, but it was still eating away at her.

"Luke,” she spoke as she gripped the bridge’s railing, “I... I'm sorry for referring to you by your title when we first arrived. I… I know how much you hate it, but the meeting with Emperor Peony and his council had so much depending on it, I felt it was necessary to remind them there was a _reason_ why we came here.”

“Oh, that…” he sighed as he leaned up against the railing next to her, “Right… I shouldn’t have yelled. I was just so nervous, and the arguing between you and Sesemann didn’t help… I know that’s not an excuse, though. So, I’m sorry.”

“Thank you,” Natalia said with a soft smile.

“Just promise to _never_ call me the Holy Scion, Your Holiness, Lorelei’s Chosen, or anything else like that ever again? Please?” Luke asked.

Natalia bit her lip again, wanting so badly to make that promise to her cousin. "Luke..." she frowned, "I... I can't promise that. There are times when you have to refer to someone by title.”

“I know, I know...” he mumbled, clicking his tongue with irritation before letting out a heavy sigh, “Just, don’t do that unless you _have_ to, alright?”

“Alright.”

“Thanks.” 

Luke smiled at her, and Natalia felt her pulse quicken. She realized just how close they were standing now, and Luke's bright green eyes were looking directly into hers with a fondness she couldn’t rationalize away. When had Luke started looking at her like _that?_

Luke reached out and gently took hold of Natalia’s hand. Now was a perfect time—they were alone, in a beautiful garden surrounded by colorful flowers and lush greenery. He gave her hand a squeeze as heat rushed to his face.

“Listen, Natalia, I…” he started, trying to figure out how he wanted to say this, “There’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while now.”

“O-Oh…?” 

Natalia’s breath caught in her throat. Was this… was this what she thought this was?

“We’ve known each other for most of our lives,” Luke continued, averting his gaze, “Got off to a rocky start, for certain… But, well… Natalia, I lo-“

“—Luke?!”

Luke turned upon hearing his name and gasped when he saw Anise, of all people, standing on the path.

“A-Anise?!”

Luke quickly let go of Natalia’s hands as he stared wide-eyed at the younger girl.

“What are you doing here?” he asked in shock. If she was here that meant Ion couldn’t be far, and he could get some answers.

“I should be asking _you_ that!” Anise pointed at him, “What are you doing outside the cathedral?! What did you do to your hair?!”

"Hello, Anise," Natalia said mildly, trying to tamp down her annoyance before it showed on her face. Of _course_ Luke’s darling ‘little sister’ interrupted them.

"Princess Natalia? You're here too?”

“Anise, _what_ are you doing here?” Luke asked again with growing impatience, “Where’s the Fon Master? Everyone in Daath was in an uproar over his disappearance. Rumors are spreading that he’s missing or kidnapped.”

Anise gasped and brought a hand up to her mouth. “Oh no, rumors like that are going around? I have to tell Ion!”

“Anise!” Luke snapped at her before she could run off. The Fon Master guardian jumped a little and turned to face him with a sheepish look on her face. “ _Where_ is Ion?”

—

At Luke’s insistence, Anise brought him and Natalia to a sunroom on the southern side of the palace. The young Fon Master was seated at a table with a teacup in hand, enjoying the crisp weather of a winter morning in Grand Chokmah.

“Here he is,” Anise said, gesturing to Ion, who set his cup down with a light clatter.

“Oh, hello Anise,” he greeted her with a smile before directing his attention to Luke, “Your Holiness, what a surprise! I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“Likewise,” Luke crossed his arms, “What’s going on here? Mohs barged into my room and _demanded_ that I track you down.”

“Is that why you’re here?” Ion asked in concern and Luke shook his head.

“No, I’m here for other reasons. Hence my surprise at finding you.”

"Hello, Fon Master. It's good to see that you're well," Natalia said with a curtsy and a small smile.

"Ah, hello, Princess Natalia," Ion smiled in return, "It's good to see you. I thought you and your family were supposed to be in Daath for your annual reading. Is everything alright?"

"Well..." Natalia started, glancing over at Luke, "There was a... slight change of plans. It's a little complicated.”

“Complicated?” Ion asked, looking to Luke for some form of clarification.

Luke stalled, unsure how to respond. He still didn’t know just what his relationship was with the new Fon Master. Every time he looked at his face, Luke expected that sweet smile to suddenly turn into a taunting smirk. He supposed he should be grateful this Ion was nothing like his original, but he still couldn’t help to be wary.

How would the supreme leader of the Order of Lorelei react to the Scion of Lorelei defying the Score?

“I’ll explain later. For now, please, tell me why you and Anise are here,” Luke finally settled on.

“Ah yes. Well, Mohs tried to confine me to the cathedral, just like you.”

“He did?” Luke raised his brow.

“Yes, and the people of Daath were very unhappy about that. I had some time to think about what it meant to be the Fon Master, and I decided that I wanted to take action.”

“Mohs is vying for war,” Anise piped up as she took a seat next to Ion, “We escaped Daath with the help of the Colonel and came here.”

“Yes,” Ion nodded, “Emperor Peony wishes to send Kimlasca a peace missive, and I’m offering to act as a neutral party to help mediate.”

“We _were_ supposed to leave a few days ago but something came up and the Emperor decided to rewrite the whole thing,” Anise said, looking between Luke and Natalia, “Apparently, the thing that came up was you two.”

“Having the Kimlascan Princess with us would certainly be an incredible help in crossing the border,” Ion thought aloud, “And Luke, you were born in Kimlasca, too. With your status I’m sure you’d be welcomed without any hassle.”

“You want us to come with you?” Luke balked.

Natalia immediately tensed. There was no denying that the Fon Master’s journey to Baticul would be much easier if she and Luke were to join his group, but the threat of being accused of treason loomed over her. Her presence was as likely to doom the Fon Master’s mission as it was to help. 

"Forgive us," Natalia apologized, "There are matters that may complicate us joining you on the journey. Failing our physical presence, however, I am more than happy to provide you with letters of passage across the border, as well as anything to accommodate your audience with the King.”

“Oh, I see,” Ion said, his face falling slightly, “Well, thank you very much for the letters, then. Having some level of support from the Crown will still prove to be immensely useful on our journey. Hopefully King Ingobert will be willing to at least talk.”

“I’ll leave it to the two of you to sort out the letter details,” Luke said before looking to the Fon Master’s guardian, “Anise, can I talk to you for a moment?”

“Huh?” Anise hummed, tilting her head slightly, “Yeah, sure, Luke.”

Anise hopped up from her seat and followed Luke out of the sun room. Once they were out in the hallway, she put her hands on her hips and looked up at the redhead.

“What’s wrong?”

“I haven’t seen you in ages. How’re you doing?”

“Aw, you were worried about little ol’ me?” she smiled sweetly at him. “I’m doing just fine. Ion sure keeps me pretty busy nowadays.”

“How about Oliver and Pamela? Before I left… Mohs was trying to use them as leverage. Is everything alright?”

Anise shifted uncomfortably, trying to keep her smile in place. After a moment she laughed dismissively, “It’s nothing, really. The Grand Maestro helped Mama and Papa out a few times, so he was probably just looking out for them again.”

“Anise, if something’s wrong, you know you can tell me, right? You’ll always be my little sister.”

“You’re the best, big brother!” Anise giggled, throwing her arms around Luke. She rested her forehead against his chest and sighed, “Everything’s okay. I’ll make it okay.”

—

_ND 2018, Sylph Decan_

It was a quiet morning within Grand Chokmah’s palace. The weather was crystal clear with not a cloud in the sky, the air still delightfully brisk. Guards stood at their posts, servants ran errands and the palace maids kept the rooms spotless.

Janelle had been tasked with dusting and cleaning the windows. The ground floor of the east wing only took her two hours, and she set off up the stairs to begin work on the first floor.

She stopped abruptly when she saw Her Majesty’s most esteemed guest seated on the small sofa resting beneath a large window. Being a devout follower of the Score and Yulia’s teachings, Janelle approached with reverence and curtsied to Luke.

“Your Holiness,” she said. 

He didn’t answer. He was just… staring off into space, and his eyes had an unnatural looking glow to them. Cautiously Janelle drew near, waving one of her hands in front of Luke’s face to see if he would notice.

“Your Holiness? Your Holiness! Your Holiness, can you hear me?!”

“What’s going on?” a nearby guard asked, having left his post to respond to the commotion.

“His Holiness isn’t responding! Something’s wrong!”

—

Natalia looked up from the flower she'd been studying in the gardens. The noise from the palace was audible, even from out here, and her ears strained to pick out any words.

"Lady Natalia," Pere said from where he'd been tending to the flower beds, "Perhaps you should go inside and see what's going on. The alarm hasn't been sounded, so I don't think there's any danger, but I can see you’re concerned."

"Given recent events, I think it's only fair that I am," Natalia frowned as she straightened up.

"Go on, then. The gardens will still be here when you get back."

With that, Natalia made a beeline for the palace interior. As soon as she was inside, she could hear every servant fretting and gossiping about Luke’s golden eyes and his unresponsive state.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Natalia asked to be pointed in his direction. The palace servants obliged her, trailing after as she made her way to the eastern wing. A small crowd of palace staff had formed around Luke, each murmuring their worries and concerns. 

"It's alright," Natalia said, pushing past everyone to take a seat beside Luke, "This happens from time to time. He's not in any danger. Please go about your business."

As she sat, she saw a familiar face at the edge of the crowd. The worry on Guy’s face disappeared when he saw what was actually going on, and he let out a heavy sigh before shaking his head.

"Lady Natalia is right," he said as he made his way around the crowd towards Luke, "There's nothing to see here. Just give him some space and let him be.”

“—But!” one of the maids protested, gesturing to Luke’s current state as if to emphasize her point.

“It’s okay,” Guy assured her as he took a seat on Luke’s opposite side, “I know it’s a shock, but this is normal for him. He’s just reading the Score in his own unique way. He’ll snap out of it eventually.”

“If you’re sure…” the maid didn’t sound too convinced, but she slowly shuffled off with the rest of the palace staff, granting Guy and Natalia a little bit of privacy.

Guy chuckled dryly as he kicked one leg over the other. 

“Everyone in the cathedral was so used to Luke’s abilities I forget how strange it looks to outsiders. We should probably inform the head of staff to let them know that if they find Luke like this again, it’s no reason to panic.”

Natalia nodded in agreement, absently taking Luke's hand into her own.

"We had a similar issue in Keterburg, though not to this extent. I should have brought it up before now,” she said sheepishly, “I remember the first time he got lost in a trance. It was absolutely terrifying, no one knew what was going on. It's been so many years since then...”

“Oh yeah, I remember that day,” Guy said. He’d been so angry at being forced to babysit the princess, and then Duke Fabre screamed at him… That was a memory he sure wished he could repress. 

“I remember how weirded out I was when I first encountered it, too…” Guy continued on, crossing his arms, “It’s a vulnerable state for him to be in, and for so long he couldn’t even control when it happened, or what he saw.” 

Like that period of time where Luke had been continually subjected to the horrors of war. By the time Guy got back to Daath from his mission for Van, Luke was a panicked wreck. It took weeks before he could sleep without waking up screaming from night terrors.

Natalia couldn’t help but shiver at Guy’s words, thinking of all the ways a person could take advantage of Luke’s vulnerability while he was in a trance. “That’s... terrifying to think about...”

“Yeah… but, there are upsides, I’m certain.”

Guy glanced back over to Luke, watching as his golden irises shimmered in the light. What was he seeing now? What was it _like_? Hopefully it was something good. Luke had seemed to have a handle on navigating the Score lately.

“Say,” Guy said, leaning forward slightly to look at Natalia, “What would you do if you had Luke’s powers?”

“Hm?”

“Able to go anywhere in the world in an instant, able to see anything your heart desires throughout history—what would you choose to see?”

At that, Natalia grinned. "Oh, that's easy. The circus, of course. I still haven't been able to see it, and I've always been jealous that Luke got to. Your turn. What would you see?”

“Did you really need to ask? I’d go all the way back to the Dawn Age! Can you imagine what society was like back then? All that advanced dawn tech working in its prime! Man, I’d kill to have a glimpse of that...”

“I hate to burst your bubble,” Luke suddenly spoke as he turned to look at Guy, “But the furthest back I’ve ever been able to go was only fifty years, and when I came out of it I had a horrible headache.”

“Damn, really?” Guy sounded concerned but also disappointed, “That’s a shame. I guess even you aren’t all-knowing. Well, where were you this time?”

“I was scoping out Baticul. Uncle is furious that Natalia’s missing, and Mother is… unwell after our disappearance. She’ll be okay, but I hate that she has to go through another bout of illness…”

“Hopefully King Ingobert doesn’t do anything rash in the meantime,” Guy said, “He was willing to declare war on Malkuth for some petty reasons a few years ago. This time it’s much more serious.”

“Have faith in Ion,” Luke said.

“Oh? I thought you weren’t fond of the Fon Master?” Guy said with a quirk of his brow.

“He’s… gotten better,” Luke said as he released his grasp of Natalia’s hand and stood up. He took a brief moment to stretch, then turned to face his friends. “Say, would the two of you be willing to do me a favor?”

“Depends on what it is,” Guy mused.

“Would you teach me how to fight?”

“Fight?” Natalia asked, “As in sword fighting?”

Luke nodded. 

“Now that I’m free, I want to learn how to protect myself. I can’t keep relying on other people to protect me.”

“That’s my entire job,” Guy scoffed as he too stood up, “You trying to put me out of work?”

“It’s not like that and you know it,” Luke said, lightly shoving his bodyguard’s arm.

“Well, I’m sure that Guy would be able to help you with that,” Natalia said, “But archery isn’t in the same set of martial skills.”

"Aw, c’mon Natalia, don’t sell yourself short. Even if you don’t have the same kind of close combat skills, you’re pretty fit. I’m sure you’ll be able to help whip him into shape,” Guy said, turning to Luke, “It would be good to get you exercising a little more. I'm pretty surprised you were able to get out of the cathedral and to the port. Even if you go out the front doors, that’s not exactly a short walk.”

Luke laughed weakly, recalling how close he’d been to passing out by the time they reached the port and how badly his body ached the next few days after. He never wanted to feel that pitiful again. If he was going to oppose the Score, he needed to be strong enough to fight for his and Natalia’s future.

“Alright,” Guy nodded, “I’ll teach you some of the basics of swordplay. But we’re going to take things slow to build up your stamina first, and that includes—“

“Dead sprints around the courtyard?” Luke asked.

“—dead sprints around the courtyard.”

—

At Guy’s request, several servants turned the palace’s courtyard into a makeshift training yard for the three of them. An assortment of weaponry was provided and a training dummy was set up, as well as a few archery targets.

Luke picked up one of the wooden practice blades and gave it a few test swings. 

“This is so heavy…”

“That’s actually fairly light in comparison to a real blade,” Guy said as he drew his own sword and handed it to him. Luke almost dropped it and quickly gave it back.

“How the hell are you able to lift that thing?” Luke asked and Guy grinned, flexing one of his arms to show off his muscle.

“Years of practice.”

"Guy, stop preening," Natalia chided playfully, hiding her smile behind her hand.

"I'm not preening," Guy shot back as she picked up a bow and easily strung it, "At least, no more than you are. Just showing Luke what he could have if he works hard enough."

Natalia tested the weight and tension of her bow, making a point of not looking at either of the boys. "Just remember to take it slow. No one is going to build muscles in just a few days."

Nocking an arrow, she took aim at a target that had been set up for her. It had been a month since she'd practiced, but it was easy to let her nerves wash away as she focused on her mark. Releasing the bowstring, she heard the satisfying thump of her arrow hitting its target. It was, however, one ring outside of what she'd intended to hit.

“Whoa!”

Luke clapped when Natalia’s shot landed. Why had he never bothered to check on her through the Score when she was practicing? She’d mentioned studying archery a few times over the years, but he never gave it much thought before. Now he was kicking himself for ignoring the opportunity to watch her.

“I’m sure Natalia would be more than willing to teach you how to shoot if you’re interested,” Guy said and Luke nodded mutely, “But before that, we’ve got some work to do ourselves. To start, drop and give me ten good push-ups.”

Simple, Luke thought to himself as he got down onto the ground and assumed the starting position. He’d seen plenty of Oracle Knights doing push-ups over the years, and ten was almost nothing.

Far from simple, Luke soon learned as Guy deemed every push-up he did incorrect: He wasn’t going down far enough, he had to keep his arms level, he needed to straighten his back— Eventually, Guy decided that he needed to demonstrate the proper technique for his student.

Push-ups, sit-ups, stretches, and laps around the courtyard, Guy drilled Luke the very same way Van had taught him when he was a brand new trainee. At the time he hated how strict and unforgiving the training regimen had been, and Luke undoubtedly would too. Hopefully he’d come to appreciate how strong of a foundation it was building for him.

After an hour and a half, Luke was doubled over with his hands resting on his knees and sweat dripping down his face. Panting heavily, he felt like his heart was trying to break right out of his chest.

“I think that’s more than enough for today,” Guy said with a big smile, “Good work, Luke. I’m proud of you for pushing through all that.”

“T-tha… Thanks…”

"You worked really hard," Natalia said as she brought over two large glasses of water.

After several practice shots, she had joined in the exercises as well and her skin was warmly flushed. Setting one glass aside for Guy, making sure not to get too close to the God General, she handed the other glass to Luke.

"Drink that slowly," she instructed, "And then you can have another. Guy, you _will_ be sure to not work him too hard, won't you?”

“Of course,” Guy said as he began to clear some of the training equipment, “But I won’t let him slack off. He needs to constantly push his limits, or else he’ll plateau. If you’re serious about this, Luke, I’ll train you seriously.”

Luke finished drinking his glass and set it aside on the nearby ledge. Feeling a bit better, he used his sleeve to wipe his brow before nodding.“Yeah, I’m serious about this. I’m exhausted and sore, but it’s a good kind of exhausted and sore?”

“Exercise can make you feel better,” Guy explained, “Tomorrow we’ll just do some stretches and go over basic sword handling to give your muscles a chance to recover, then we’ll work on endurance training again the day after.”

“Okay,” Luke nodded.

“Take a warm bath to help loosen your muscles as well. It’ll help minimize the soreness you’ll feel tomorrow,” Natalia said.

"You know, Natalia, you're in better shape than I gave you credit for," Guy noted.

"I had a very rigorous physical education as a child," Natalia responded, "I think His Majesty assumed it would be a good outlet for my 'abundance of energy,' which I take to mean that it was supposed to tire me out before I could become difficult.”

“I see,” Guy said as he started to pull arrows out of the archery targets. True, children were usually pretty energetic, although Luke seemed to be the exception to the rule.

“Huh… Hey, Luke?”

“Hm?”

“You were fairly quiet as a kid—I don’t really recall many moments where you’d run around or yell, barring when Natalia was visiting,” Guy teased, “But looking back on it, I thought you’d be the type to be bouncing off the walls with boredom.”

“Guy, you know what Evenos and Mohs were like. I had to sit still and be quiet, _or else._ I hated it, though. My legs would always fall asleep or cramp up from being forced to sit on that throne all day.”

"Well, I guess we're making up for lost time," Guy grinned, "Now go and wash up.”

“Yes sir,” Luke said, standing at attention and mock saluting him.

—

After a long soak in a hot bath, Luke dried off, dressed, and went off in search of Janelle. He found her cleaning the windows in Peony’s chambers, carefully stepping over the emperor’s mess. Much to Janelle’s surprise, Luke not only spoke to her, but he apologized for frightening her earlier.

With that matter settled, Luke slipped out to the palace gardens and looked around. Ah, there she was; Natalia had been looking at some of the flowers next to one of the gardeners.

He approached from behind and looked over her shoulder. 

“Pretty flower. What is it?”

“Oh! Your Holiness!” Pere quickly bowed to him and Luke grimaced.

“You don’t have to bow. And please, just call me Luke.”

“Ah, certainly, Luke…” Pere said slowly, feeling uncomfortably casual, “That is a gardenia. Often they’re mistaken for white roses, but they have very different leaves and stems.”

“May I pick one?” Luke asked, and Pere nodded. 

Reaching out, Luke plucked a flower off of the small shrub and gently tucked it in Natalia’s headband.

"Ah?" Natalia murmured as Luke placed the flower in her hair. Its delicate fragrance twinned around her and her cheeks flushed pink.

Pere's eyebrows raised slightly, and a knowing smile came to his lips.

"It's said gardenias represent purity and sweet love, because of its beautiful scent. It suits you very well, Lady Natalia,” he chuckled as he set his tools down and pulled off his gloves, “I just remembered that I left something in the gardening shed. I’ll be right back.”

And with that, Pere left, leaving Luke and Natalia alone in the gardens.

Suddenly Luke’s heart was hammering in his chest again, but not from running laps or failing at push-ups. Why was he so nervous when last month he’d been ready to confess his feelings to her?

He twiddled his fingers together, biting his lip before he faced Natalia. “Um… Natalia, there’s something I’ve been wanting to tell you for a while now. I was actually trying to tell you a while back, but Anise interrupted…”

The former princess tilted her head curiously, wondering why Luke was suddenly so flustered.

"Oh?" she asked, "Right, I remember now. You were saying something about how we'd been friends for most of our lives, which is true. We both know that, despite a few bumps along the way…"

“Right, I did say that,” Luke nodded, recalling the conversation, “It’s true, we got off to a very rocky start and have had our fair share of fights but, well…” 

He took in a deep breath, working up the courage to finally spit it out.

“Natalia,” he reached out and took hold of her hands, “I love you.”

Natalia froze. _Luke loved her?_ Of course he loved her—they were friends, and family of a sort. Why was he making such a declaration about something so matter-of-fact?

"You do...?" she said, still trying to puzzle out what all of this meant, "I mean, I love you too, Luke. You're my best friend in the world. You know that, right?”

“More than that!” Luke suddenly blurted out as his cheeks grew hot, “More than best friends, more than family… I… I can’t stand the thought of anyone else with you. I know this is sudden, and we don’t know what’s going to happen with Uncle or Daath, but… I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side.”

Wait. _Wait!_ Luke was _proposing_ to her?!

He _loved_ her in _that_ way?!

Natalia wasn't sure what to do. It was everything she had secretly wanted, but known all of her life not to expect. She was supposed to marry someone for security and political power; love had nothing to do with it. And of all people, Luke—the Scion of Lorelei—was in love with _her?_

"I... Luke..." she stammered, "I don’t..."

“You don’t have to say anything. I wasn’t expecting you to actually say yes. I just… I just wanted you to know how strong my feelings for you are.”

Natalia's head was spinning. It was all so much to take in, and her thoughts kept chasing each other around and around. 

"I think I need to sit down," she said, letting Luke lead her to a nearby bench so she could sit before her knees gave out from shock. Luke silently took a seat next to her.

Letting out a slow breath, Natalia let her head rest against Luke's shoulder. Despite the fact that they'd never been allowed to even hold hands outside Score readings, touching Luke was so easy and reassuring. Did that mean that she had feelings like _that_ for him, too?

"...I missed you so much whenever I wasn't in Daath," she said at last, "I just... I don't even know how to begin to process these feelings. I was always raised to believe my father would choose someone 'suitable' for me to marry, so I never—well, almost never—allowed myself to think about it. I know I have strong feelings of some kind for you, though.”

“I get it,” Luke nodded, looking up at the bright blue sky, “I was never allowed to talk to anyone so a relationship? Marriage? Kids? How could any of that be in my future?”

Natalia's face went warm at that, and a sudden giddy feeling rose from the bottom of her stomach. Marriage, children... it sounded so normal yet exciting. As long as it was with Luke... 

She pulled the flower Luke had given her from her headband and twirled it between her fingers.

"I... I think I love you, too," she said, "I-in the same way. When you say things like that, I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone but you."

“Yeah?” Luke asked, looking hopeful.

Feeling emboldened with a newfound sense of confidence, he moved to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing over her soft skin. Their eyes met, and he leaned in, butterflies in his stomach as he anticipated his first kiss.

Just as their lips were about to meet, a sense of foreboding hit him. Luke stopped and pulled back as a familiar fonon frequency rang in his ears. A beautiful voice could be heard across the grounds.

_‘Tue rei ze croa riou tue ze’_

Drowsiness washed over Luke and he struggled to keep himself upright. His eyelids drooped and he could barely keep them open. Why was he so _tired?_

Natalia's energy was suddenly gone as well, and she blinked rapidly to try to clear the fog from her head.

"Luke...?" she asked, struggling to reach out and grab onto his shirt.

“I-I can’t…” Luke mumbled, unable to keep himself upright any longer.

The two of them fell over the edge of the bench and crashed onto the ground in an unconscious heap.

—

Tear watched from her perch as her targets succumbed to her hymn. A quick glance around the perimeter showed no further enemies would get in her way. She jumped, landing gracefully before walking over to the two unconscious bodies.

Oh, the Scion had cut his hair. It was foolish he didn’t dye it as well, he was too easy to track down. She then looked over to the princess, who seemed to be unharmed and in good health. Clearly Malkuth was _not_ keeping them prisoner as Mohs tried to make her believe.

Something in her peripheral vision glimmered and Tear jumped back, narrowly avoiding the sword that had been swung at her.

“Get away from them!” Guy demanded.

“God General Cato?” Tear looked surprised to see him, “I was told you disappeared in Keterburg, what are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you that. But first what the hell have you done to Luke and Na—Her Highness?”

“‘Luke?’ You dare address His Holiness by name?”

“His Holiness has granted me express permission to refer to him by name," Guy said, narrowing his eyes at the intruder, "Now, answer me: what have you done to Luke and Her Highness?"

"I've put them to sleep with a fonic hymn," Tear explained with a frown, "It's time that His Holiness was returned to Daath, and Princess Natalia returned to Kimlasca, before a war breaks out. Don't tell me you've just been sitting here instead of bringing them back!"

“I don’t have the authority to move them, and neither do you,” Guy said and Tear furrowed her brow.

“What do you mean we don’t have the authority? This is to avoid a diplomatic incident between the Order and Kimlasca! We _have_ to bring them back where they belong,” she insisted.

“Emperor Peony granted them asylum. Officially, they have the protection of the Emperor and the rights of Malkuth citizens. They are outside our jurisdiction.”

“Asylum?” Tear balked, shaking her head, “What was the Emperor thinking? War is inevitable now!”

“His Majesty has sent the Fon Master to Baticul with a missive of peace, along with a letter from Her Highness explaining the situation. I’ve chosen to stay behind and watch over Luke and Her Highness to make sure no harm befalls them.”

“I see…” Tear looked back to the sleeping pair, “They’ll wake up in about twenty minutes.”

"And?" Guy asked, not lowering his blade, "Are you going back to Daath? How on Auldrant did you intend to get them back with you? Is Mohs throwing all of his resources at Grand Chokmah?”

“There’s an extraction team and a ship waiting in the harbor,” Tear stated as she crossed her arms and frowned, “I was sent in first to scout and incapacitate any resistance. Seems I was careless and missed you.”

“Seems so.”

“If it’s true that Emperor Peony has granted them asylum, there’s nothing I can do. However, I will have to return to Daath and inform the Grand Maestro. Especially in regards to the Fon Master traveling to Baticul.”

Guy stared at her, his gaze hard. He took in a deep breath before shouting out, “Intruder! There’s an intruder in the gardens!”

Tear took a startled step back, her eyes wide. She had taken care of the guards to the north but guards from the east, west, and south came rushing out.

Guy flashed Tear a smirk as the guards swarmed her and took her into custody. Several guards looked over at Luke and Natalia’s sleeping forms, their expressions concerned.

"Sir?" one of them asked Guy.

"They don't seem to be injured, but summon a doctor to look them over, just in case," Guy instructed. The guard saluted and hurried off to do just that as the others manacled Tear.

—

Luke awoke slowly, his mind hazy and struggling to put thoughts together. With a low groan, he opened up his eyes and blinked a couple of times. _Where was he…?_ The last thing he remembered was being in the gardens with Natalia and then… everything was blank.

Sitting up, he found himself in a bed in one of the palace’s guest rooms. Natalia was still asleep on another bed to his right.

“Oh good, you’re awake!” A doctor stepped into Luke’s view, looking relieved. “Lady Natalia should wake up momentarily,” the doctor said just as Natalia began to stir.

"Luke...?" she asked quietly, her eyes searching for the Scion's familiar form. She sat up, her face falling as she looked down into her hand.

"Lady Natalia?" the doctor asked, "Are you hurt?"

"What? No, I-I'm fine," Natalia said, opening her palm to reveal a bruised blossom in her hand, "It's just... the flower that Luke gave me."

"You're lucky that was the only thing hurt," the doctor said, "A woman attacked both you and His Holiness in the gardens. If God General Cato had not been there, it could have been much worse.”

“Attacked?” Luke questioned as his memory came back to him. Right, he’d heard Tear’s fonon frequency before she used a fonic hymn to put them to sleep. “Where’s the Oracle Knight now?”

“In the dungeons. His Majesty will be imparting judgment for attempted assassination.”

Luke clicked his tongue—he couldn’t have that.

“Doctor, inform His Majesty that we’re alright and that I need to talk to Tear before any judgment can be made. As a soldier of the Order, Tear is my responsibility.”

“I—Yes, Your Holiness. Excuse me,” the doctor said before hurrying off.

Natalia pressed her lips together in a thin line as the doctor left the room. She understood that the Oracle Knight was likely only trying to return them to Daath rather than assassinate either one of them, and the issue would need to be clarified with Peony, but _why_ did Luke need to talk to her? Why did Luke need to worry about _her_ first?

Setting her ruined flower on the nightstand, Natalia shifted so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Shall I leave you to discuss matters in private with this... Tear?" she asked.

Keeping her tone neutral was a struggle. A hundred bitter words readied themselves at the tip of her tongue, but Natalia swallowed them all down. Her jealousy had already gotten between her and Luke too many times.

Luke recognized _that_ tone of voice, and a side glance confirmed his suspicion. He’d outright proposed to her! How could she _still_ be jealous?!

He let out a small sigh and shook his head. 

“I just want to clear up any potential misunderstandings between Daath and Malkuth regarding her actions. Assassination is a serious accusation, and the punishment for such a thing is harsh. Tear only put us to sleep; I don’t want her to be executed for a crime she never committed. I may not have much of a relationship with anyone in the Order, but I do feel responsible for the actions of the Oracle Knights.”

"And yet you asked for her, not the emperor," Natalia said, standing up and brushing off her skirt, "I understand that you feel responsible for her, and that you want to clarify the situation. I also understand that assassination is a serious charge—or did you forget that I used to be a princess?"

She bit her lip hard. The feelings she'd been distracting herself from had risen to the surface and mingled with her current hurt and annoyance, creating a fog in her mind. Wanting to say something that would make Luke feel the same, she pushed the urge down. Being rude wouldn't help, but Luke had to know what had brought this on.

"Now that you're free to interact with other people, you may want to spend some time thinking about how they feel before you just do whatever you think is best," she said, "If you want to overturn the Score, Luke, you'll need allies, but you won't keep them for very long if you don't at least consider their reactions to your choices. Now, if you need me, I'll be in the courtyard."

With that, she made her way to the door, leaving the crushed and wilting gardenia on the nightstand.


	10. Comforting Lies

“—so please, Your Majesty, I ask for leniency on behalf of the Order,” Luke petitioned Peony with an impassioned tone, “As an Oracle Knight of the Order, her actions are my responsibility, and I’ll see to it that she’s returned to Daath and punished in accordance with Order procedure.”

Peony sighed heavily and rested his chin against his palm, sinking into his throne a bit. 

“I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Luke.”

“What? Why not?!” Luke demanded indignantly, “I outrank the Fon Master, there shouldn’t be an issue—“

Peony held his hand up and Luke stilled, biting back his tongue. 

“When I granted you asylum, you relinquished any and all ties to Daath. Strictly speaking, you are _not_ a part of the Order of Lorelei anymore.”

Luke stared up at him in a stunned silence. He wasn’t…? But… But he’d been in the Order for his entire life!

“But—!” he tried to argue and Peony’s expression grew serious.

“Enough, Luke!” Peony raised his voice and Luke took a startled half-step back. “We’ll send word to Daath and request a representative; Tear will be tried for her crimes in accordance with Malkuth law. It would have been faster if the Fon Master was still here, but that is, unfortunately, not the case. For now, she’ll remain in the dungeons for the time being.”

Luke grit his teeth. It was a new and uncomfortable feeling, having his authority denied. He _really_ didn’t like it.

“May I _at least_ talk to her, Your Majesty?” Luke asked tersely.

“You may,” Peony consented before standing up from his throne. He stepped down the dais and settled his hands upon Luke’s shoulders, “I know you’re frustrated, Luke. It’ll take time for you to adjust to life outside the Order.”

“I know…” Luke sighed, down casting his gaze to the polished floor.

"Is there anything you'd like me to do - other than releasing Tear Grants from the dungeons, that is.”

Luke shook his head and said, “No, it’s fine, Your Majesty. I’ll go speak with Tear now.”

“Alright,” Peony released his grasp and watched as Luke left the audience chamber without another word.

—

Luke descended down the narrow staircase that led into the palace’s dungeons, where rows of cells lined the stone walls. Each cell offered a small cot and basic wash facilities, though none offered much by way of privacy. Many weren’t occupied, either, which Luke was grateful for. It was good Grand Chokmah didn’t have much by way of crime—it made him feel a little safer.

He came to a stop at the end of the row of cells, seeing Tear sitting on the edge of her cot with an unamused expression on her face.

“Locrian Colonel Tear Grants,” Luke spoke.

“Locrian Sergeant now,” she replied before standing up.

Tear looked through the bars of her cell at the Scion, unsure of what to make of the situation. If he'd truly sought asylum in Malkuth, that meant he'd abandoned Daath of his own volition. He'd spark a war, and Malkuth’s peace missive envoy might not be enough to soothe Kimlasca's rage. 

The very embodiment of Lorelei might just doom them all.

And why on Auldrant was the Kimlascan princess here as well?

"I apologize for the distress I caused," Tear said with a bow of her head, "I miscalculated the response time of the emperor's guards. That was careless of me.”

Luke crossed his arms and eyed her for a moment. 

“That hymn you sang to put us to sleep, it’s not a traditional hymn used by melodists in the Order. I swear I’ve heard it before _somewhere_ , but I can’t place it.”

“It’s one of Yulia’s fonic hymns,” Tear answered and Luke’s eyes widened as things started to click into place. “Supposedly I’m her descendant, but I have no proof of that.”

A descendant of _Yulia Jue!_ That could explain why her fonon frequency stood out above all others, and drew his attention to her so readily. 

“I see,” Luke finally managed to say. This was definitely a topic of conversation to continue having at a later time. For now, there were other matters to discuss. “Did Mohs send you to find me?”

“Yes, the Grand Maestro claimed you and Her Highness had been kidnapped by Malkuth, and were being held here against your will. Clearly that’s not the case.”

Luke scoffed. Of course Mohs would fabricate such a blatant lie. “No, I left the Order on my own accord. Natalia as well.”

"Why exactly did you leave, anyways? Also, if you were looking to be inconspicuous, you should have dyed your hair. You’re very easy to spot at a distance.”

“It wasn’t as if I was expecting you to ambush us—“

“That’s foolish thinking on your part. There are many in the world who would love to do you harm. A determined assassin would have been able to easily dispatch you and the Princess both.”

Luke swallowed hard. She had a point…

“You still haven’t answered my question, Your Holiness—“

“Luke,” he said.

Tear grimaced uncomfortably at his informality. So, God General Cato was right to call him by his first name?

“Luke,” she corrected herself, “Why did you leave Daath?”

“I can’t say,” Luke shook his head. If she reported that information to Mohs, Yulia knows what kind of disastrous consequences that could have.

“I see,” Tear retook her seat on the edge of her cot with a resigned sigh. “So, what’s to happen to me?”

“His Majesty will petition the Order to send a representative, and you’re to be tried in Malkuth’s court. I asked the Emperor for leniency, but—“

“I understand. I’m to remain here until the trial.”

“I’m sorry—“

“Don’t be. I went after you.”

“I’ll try to see if I can get you some books or something so you don’t get bored. Hopefully the representative from Daath will get here sooner rather than later.”

"That's very kind of you. Thank you, Your Ho—Thank you, Luke," she said, catching herself this time, "But please, don't trouble yourself too much. This is supposed to be a punishment, after all.”

Luke chuckled at that as he put his hands into his pockets. “Perhaps, but I know you didn’t intend any harm for me or Natalia. It’s not exactly fair if you have nothing to do but stare at a wall for however long until the trial.”

Tear let out an exasperated breath. What part of ‘this is a punishment’ did he not comprehend? Fair had nothing to do with it. Still… she did appreciate that he seemed to care about her, for whatever reason that may be. It was… nice, having someone in her corner.

“Alright,” she smiled a little.

—

Guy stood silently in the courtyard and watched as Natalia pelted target after target with a barrage of arrows. Her anger was _palpable_. When at last her quiver of arrows had been emptied, he decided to approach.

“That was quite the display,” he whistled, “Are you upset that Oracle Knight got the drop on you?”

Natalia spun on the ball of her foot to face the God General, "Which one of us is Luke's bodyguard, again?" she asked venomously, "Aren't _you_ supposed to be the one preventing these kinds of incidents?"

Guy winced. He’d only tried to give them a little privacy.

"Fair enough,” he conceded with a nod, “but that doesn’t answer my question.”

Natalia didn't lift her glare from him for several moments, but she eventually looked away. “No, I’m not upset that Oracle Knight attacked us.”

“Alright then, what _are_ you mad about?" 

"It's... it's nothing," she muttered, her voice tight, "I'm being stupid.”

“Possibly,” Guy said with a shrug, “but I can’t offer insight unless you tell me what’s bothering you.”

Natalia’s current posture vaguely reminded Guy of past incidents back in the cathedral. Luke would do or say something careless, she’d get angry and upset—of course back then she didn’t have any archery equipment at her disposal in order to vent her anger, so she often internalized it.

Better the targets than herself, Guy thought.

“Did Luke do something dumb again?” Guy asked. The way she twitched answered that question for him. “Alright, what’d he say this time?”

Natalia grit her teeth, hating how easy it was for Guy to read her.

"As soon as we woke up - as soon as the doctor explained what happened, Luke asked for _Tear._ He was worried about _Tear,_ and how he had to protect _Tear._ And he had the absolute nerve to tell me _'assassination is a serious accusation’_ as if I hadn’t grown up with the very real threats of attempts on my life!”

She gripped her bow tightly, seized by the awful urge to throw it to the ground. She'd thought she'd worked off the worst of her anger, but saying what she thought out loud only seemed to make it a hundred times worse. She wanted to scream, to break something, to fight and kick until she was blue in the face and could no longer move a muscle.

“He says that he loves me… He wants to marry me, but his actions don’t match his words. How can he say such things so carelessly without understanding how I feel?!”

“Wait, Luke said he wanted to _marry_ you?” Guy’s brows shot up in surprise. 

He hadn’t expected Luke to be _that_ bold. Given his newfound freedom, it did make sense for Luke to start pushing all sorts of boundaries and letting loose—something he could never do under Mohs’ thumb. 

Natalia ignored Guy’s remark and began walking towards her targets to retrieve her arrows.

"He couldn't take his eyes off Tear the last time I visited," she said bitterly, recalling that awful tea party she cut short. "Of course he couldn't. She's beautiful, and strong. She's _worked for_ and _earned_ her position…"

“Natalia,” Guy sighed as he crossed his arms, “Luke does care for you, deeply so. But he’s an idiot when it comes to things like talking to people, and you know this. He doesn’t have the experience cultivating and maintaining relationships like a regular person. He’ll learn, eventually, but I think it’ll go faster if you give him the benefit of the doubt and help him instead of getting angry at him.”

Natalia snapped the arrow in her hand as she shook.

"I _know!_ ” she yelled, "I know that Luke is still learning! I know that Luke has every excuse under the sun to be the way he is, I don't need you to tell me! And I'll have you know that I didn't say anything rude to him before I left - I just reminded him that he needs to be mindful of other people's feelings, like mine!”

She ripped another arrow from the target and tossed it aside, where a pile was beginning to form. As she tried to grab the next arrow, her hands faltered as her vision began to blur.

"Please just… just leave me alone, Guy."

Guy winced again. Well… he sure missed the mark, didn’t he?

He hesitated for a moment, wanting to apologize for his unintentional insensitivity, but stopped himself. She clearly was in no mood. 

Instead he merely bowed to her before exiting the courtyard, leaving her to continue shooting things until she felt better.

—

_ND 2018, Undine Decan_

Luke glared at Natalia from the corner of his eye, watching with annoyed disdain how she, once again, was electing to ignore him and keep her distance. When he laid out all his feelings for her, this was _not_ the way he anticipated things to work out. 

A first kiss, romantic dates, spending quality time together—that’s what he’d been hoping for. Instead he’d been left with stinging words and a brutally cold shoulder. For Sylph’s sake, it felt like there was more emotional distance between them than the canyon that spanned Radessia!

“—too slow!”

Guy’s wooden blade came down and hit him hard on the top of his head.

Immediately Luke yelped and dropped his own training blade, bringing his hands up to the throbbing spot on his skull. 

“OW! What the hell, Guy?!”

"You need to pay attention," Guy reprimanded him with a stern tone, "If you get distracted in battle, you'll get much worse than a bump on the head.” 

Guy could hear the words in Van's voice. Damn, he really hated hearing them as a kid, but of course they rang true. And now Luke needed to learn that lesson as well. 

"Do you want to try again, or have you had enough for one day?”

“Oh soothing light, heal!” Luke cast a healing arte and soon the pain vanished. As he bent down to pick up his training blade, Guy sighed and took up his defensive stance again.

Despite the new rift that had formed between Luke and Natalia, they still maintained their training regiment. Luke was definitely showing improvement stamina wise, and was even starting to put on a bit of muscle, but his swordsmanship skills were still far below average.

“I admire your determination, but there is such a thing as knowing when to quit,” Guy almost taunted.

Luke’s grip tightened, “I won’t give up that easily!”

They exchanged blows, Luke still swinging too widely giving Guy easy access to his ribs. A quick jab to them had Luke stumbling backwards and coughing for air, and Guy lowered his weapon.

“You’re getting too sloppy, Luke. We’re stopping for the day before you hurt yoursel-“

Luke regained his breath and sprang forward with a surprise attack. Guy’s reflexes kicked in and he jumped back, avoiding the incoming swing. 

“I’m not done yet!” Luke argued as he approached for another blow.

Guy easily parried him, reading Luke’s every next move before he made them. Luke was growing angry and frantic, as if he was trying to prove something. Lessons about control and finesse were being forgotten in favor of raw power, and putting all of his strength into these wild swings were going to injure him.

“Enough!” Guy snapped as he brought his blade down overhead. Luke used his sword to block the strike, struggling to keep Guy from advancing any farther. With a hard push Luke managed to get Guy’s sword away from him, but Guy was quick to attack again.

Luke was too slow as he tried to block. Guy’s blade slid down his and landed hard against his wrist. The distinct sound of a metallic clang rang in the air, and Luke’s eyes widened as the bangle he’d been wearing snapped in half.

"Luke!" Guy gasped, quickly abandoning his blade when he realized what he'd done.

Natalia turned as she heard the lesson begin to get out of control. Guy's sudden shout made her think for a moment that someone had been seriously injured, but from where she stood she couldn't see anything wrong.

“Luke, I’m so sorry! Let me see if… Maybe I can fix it!” Guy bent down to pick up the broken pieces.

Luke took in a stuttered breath, standing frozen in place as he began to hyperventilate. His fon slots were now fully _open_ for the first time in _seven years_ , and the fonons… There were fonons _everywhere_ around him! 

They were all so _strong_ and _intense!_

Immediately he recalled that day, feeling seventh fonons flooding into his fon slots and overwhelming him before he—

“Are you alright?” Natalia asked as she looked at Luke with concern. All the color had drained from his face.

Luke stammered, unable to form words as he looked between Guy and Natalia. He mumbled incoherent nonsense before he sprinted away, leaving Guy to call out after him.

"Guy, what just happened?" Natalia demanded.

Guy bit back a strong curse and instead let it out as a long breath.

"Ever since the... _incident_ seven years ago, Luke's been wearing a fon slot seal in the form of a bangle on his wrist, to keep things from getting out of hand again," he explained, holding up the broken pieces for her to see.

Natalia dropped her arrows before she ran off after Luke.

—

Luke was running blindly as fast as his legs could carry him. 

He had to get away, to get out of the city where no one could be hurt by his erratic power. He left the palace, crossed over two different bridges, and made it to the large gate that led into Theor forest. Paying the guards no mind, who started to question who he was and where he was going, Luke pushed past them and entered the dense forest.

His chest was tight and his lungs began to burn, but he pushed past the pain and kept running until finally he felt far enough away. He came up to a tree and rested up against the trunk, catching his breath.

There were still too many fonons around him, pulling his attention in every direction, making it hard to think, hard to focus.

Calm down, he thought to himself. This wasn’t like the last time. He was older and more experienced now. Surely all he needed to do was to meditate and adjust to the new intensity of fonons. Then… then maybe he _could_ learn to control his power.

Sitting cross legged, he rested his wrists against his knees and took in deep, measured breaths. Stop panicking…. Try to tune out the fonons… Just relax and breathe…

_’The connection is open!’_

Luke let out a strangled cry as he grabbed at his head. Sharp, stabbing pain came from nowhere and gripped his skull. His temples pounded as his vision started to blur, and intense waves of nausea hit him.

_‘Heed my voice!’_

“S-shut up…!” Luke squeezed his eyes shut and covered his ears.

_’Luke!’_

“SHUT UP!” Luke screamed as stray tears rolled down his cheeks.

—

Natalia was thankful that, while he'd come a long way in his training, Luke still wasn't nearly as fast as she was. Tracking Luke through the city and out into the forest wasn't too hard, given how much he stuck out. Though soon he vanished into the thick of the trees, eluding her pursuit.

"Luke!" she called out breathlessly, spinning around to try and find some trace of her cousin. Pained screaming pierced through the foliage, and Natalia ran towards the source.

She found him soon after, curled up on himself at the base of a large tree. He looked panicked, and like he was about to be sick. Natalia hurried to kneel in front of him and took his hands in her own.

"Luke..." she said again, softer this time, "Luke, can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?”

“Natalia…?” He questioned, looking at her hands before up to her face. 

He didn’t see Natalia. He saw Alara, with the same expression of worry and concern from seven years ago. His eyes widened, and he jerked his hands away from hers, before scooting back until he was pressed against the tree.

“G-get away! I don’t want to hurt anyone again…!”

_‘Listen to me!’_

Luke grabbed at his head as he let out an anguished sob, “Make it stop!”

What could she do? She didn't even know what was causing Luke so much pain. Everything told her that she needed to run. Luke could create a hyperresonance at any moment and she'd be killed instantly. But she was not about to leave him to his pain, especially not when he was begging for her help.

She had to try _something_. Healing artes were a bad idea—they were the very trigger from seven years ago— but perhaps she could calm him down...

"Luke, try to take a deep breath," she said, wrapping her arms around him. She rested her head against his and carded her fingers through his short hair. 

Luke wanted to push her off of him but the pain was just too unbearable. He could no longer move, no longer think. All he could focus on was the blinding pain that made him want to die.

_’My precious isofon…’_

The strange, overpowering voice that echoed in his ears faded away, and the headache began to dissipate. He gasped in relief, his hands leaving the sides of his head to clutch at the fabric of Natalia’s dress. Even with Natalia gently coaching him, and years of meditation practice under his belt, he struggled to breathe evenly and wrangle in his emotions.

“I-I… I don’t w-want to hurt you…” he whimpered pathetically as he shook.

"It's alright," Natalia whispered, still holding Luke close, "You aren't going to hurt me.”

She took out her handkerchief and carefully blotted Luke's face dry. 

"Guy told me about your bracelet. That must have been terribly frightening…"

Luke nodded mutely, taking in shaky breaths. After a few moments, the tension and fear began to leave his body. Muscles started to relax, and he moved to rest his forehead against her shoulder.

“I was terrified I’d lose control…” he admitted, “I haven’t felt the true extent of fonons in so long… It was… overwhelming...”

Hopefully Guy would be able to fix his fon slot seal. From what he could recall, his Master told him many years ago that fon slot seals were absurdly expensive and difficult to make. There was no way he could ask Peony for a huge amount of money to replace it after the emperor already stuck his neck out to give them asylum.

“There was… was a voice,” he spoke as he tried to remember the words. The pain had been so unbearable he couldn’t remember clearly—but someone _did_ try to talk to him. “It knew my name but… I can’t recall anything else…”

“A voice...?” 

Natalia frowned, but tried to put her own concerns aside. Worrying wouldn't help Luke right now. 

"Perhaps it was due to the headache," she tried to rationalize it away, brushing his hair from his face, "I've heard that intense headaches can cause all of one's senses to go off-kilter for some time. For now, would you like to go back to the palace? I'm sure Guy is worried about you, and you should try and rest a little.”

Back to the palace…?

It was true, he did want to lie down and sleep, but to go back to somewhere populous when he could randomly set off another hyperresonance at any moment…? No, no, Natalia was right. He had control; he couldn’t allow fear to continue ruling him.

“…Okay,” he nodded.

—

The walk back to the palace had been slow and quiet. Upon entering his guest room, Luke shuffled over to his bed, kicked off his shoes, and then collapsed. The mattress was so soft and comforting. Slowly his eyes gravitated towards Natalia and he stilled, contemplating a few things.

“Hey… Natalia?” He pushed himself upright, “Would you… stay with me for a little while? I don’t… I don’t really want to be alone right now. I know you’re still upset with me but… please?”

Natalia sat down onto the edge of the bed with a small smile.

"You know, with everything that happened today, I'd almost forgotten I was upset with you," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief, "Thank you for reminding me."

Before Luke could worry too much if she was serious or not, she leaned in to place a kiss against his forehead.

"Of course I'll stay with you. Do you want me to get you anything?”

Luke shook his head, but motioned for her to move closer. Wrapping his arms around her shoulder, he settled back against the pillows and headboard with a low sigh. He almost laughed at the irony - to think a month ago he’d been too embarrassed by the mere thought of something like this.

“Natalia, I… um, I wanted to say I’m sorry.”

"What?"

Luke wanted to apologize to her? Natalia wondered what had brought this on as she made herself comfortable curled up next to him.

"...Is this about Tear?" she asked, unable to look him in the eye but instead focusing on a tiny loose thread in the blanket. Her hand smoothed it down, as if trying to press it back into the fabric.

“Sort of… Or, well, she’s part of it…” he stared off at a particular spot on the wall as he tried to figure out what he wanted to say. “I just… I keep doing things that make you upset, and I don’t _want_ you to be upset. I want us to get along, to be together…”

“I know,” Natalia nodded sullenly.

“What you said that day, after Tear attacked us? It hurt, a lot, but I get it now. I keep doing what _I_ think is best and disregard how that affects people. I dragged you here without giving you a full explanation, I made Guy chase us halfway around the world, I put Emperor Peony into a dangerously precarious position, I dumped _all_ of my feelings onto you without considering how _you_ felt… I’m such a selfish idiot.”

Natalia's cheeks felt hot. Luke was saying everything she wanted to hear, but for some reason, when he started berating himself, she wanted to jump to his defense.

"I... I owe you an apology as well," she murmured, "I've been horribly jealous, even after you've explained why you react certain ways with some people. I know that I can't keep you all to myself, and I know giving you the cold shoulder is hurtful. I suppose I'm just... scared that you'll realize I'm not worth your time and affection.”

“That’s never going to happen,” Luke sat upright to look at her. “Natalia, I already told you that I don’t care how you were born, _you_ are what matters to me, and nothing will ever change that.”

Natalia was about to argue that this was an anxiety that she'd had since they were children, but the words wouldn't come as he reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand. 

“Would… would it be alright to kiss you…?” His cheeks turned pink as he felt butterflies in his stomach. Her skin was so soft.

“I... y-yes,” she said, her face growing hotter, "I... I've never kissed anyone before…"

“Neither have I,” he chuckled nervously.

With her blessing, he made his move. 

Leaning in towards her, he closed his eyes and brushed his lips up against hers. A jolt shot through his body and he pulled away for a moment, unsure if that had been painful or pleasurable. It was an intense new feeling, but shortly after his whole body then began to tingle pleasantly as a sensation of elation washed over him.

Feeling confident, he leaned back in and pressed a proper kiss to her lips, gripping her arms tightly as he held her there. The jolt came back and settled in his lower abdomen, and he pulled away when he recognized _that_ feeling.

He coughed and sat back, his face red as he looked away from her. “That… that was really nice…”

Turned away as he was, Luke couldn't see Natalia's equally red face. The former princess searched for something to rest her eyes on that wouldn't make her blush any worse, but the fact of the matter was she was in Luke's room. In Luke's bed.

"It was," she agreed at last, "We should... We should do it again. _L-later_. After you've rested. You should lay down—sleep, I mean.”

“Y-yeah,” he nodded, moving to lay down against his pillows as she got up from his bed. “Um… Natalia? Thank you, for everything.”

“You’re welcome,” she smiled sweetly at him, “sleep well.”

—

_ND 2018, Gnome Decan_

Luke, Natalia, and Guy had been in the middle of running training drills when a servant informed them of an official summons. The three were expected to report to the audience chamber to meet with the Emperor and his council, as the peace missive envoy to Baticul had returned.

Training equipment was quickly discarded and the three hurried off to the throne room, finding everyone to already be waiting within. Luke couldn’t help but to smile upon seeing Anise again, but his smile turned into a wide grin when he saw his Master amongst those gathered.

“Good, now that everyone’s here, we can begin,” Peony said as Jade took a step forward, “what do you have to report?”

There was quite the tale to be told for the envoy’s outlandishly late return.

While on their way to Chesedonia, they’d run into the notorious bandit group the Dark Wings, who blew up the Rotelro Bridge to escape capture. While in Engeve to regroup and strategize a new route, Ion ran off to the Cheagle Woods by himself, which resulted in Jade needing to put down a Liger queen to keep the citizens of Engeve safe. 

The Tartarus ended up being overrun by Oracle Knights who kidnapped Ion, but Jade and Anise were able to recover him. Then they then had to trek by foot all the way to Kaitzur where they ran into Commandant Grants. He helped them cross the border, and they took a ferry to Chesedonia, before finally another ferry to reach Baticul.

“King Ingobert did _not_ want to let us in,” Anise bemoaned dramatically, “He threatened to arrest the Colonel and demanded the Fon Master tell him where Luke and Natalia had gone. Natalia’s letter helped a little, but he’s _furious_ you’re in Malkuth.” She looked to the former princess.

“Did he say anything about war?” Peony asked.

“Not outright,” Ion answered with a worried look, “Although it was heavily implied. The newspaper and magazine articles upset him greatly. He’s concerned this is all some scheme cooked up by Malkuth. I fear Mohs has His Majesty’s ear tightly.

“I’m also saddened to report,” Ion continued on with a grim expression, “that King Ingobert has denied your request for aid.”

Peony sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. That was to be expected given present circumstances. Even so, he’d held out hope that regardless of the situation with Natalia and Luke taking shelter, Ingobert would, at the _very least_ , have some shred of empathy for the people living in a territory that used to be Kimlascan.

“Request for aid?” Luke questioned with a raised brow.

“One of our cities is currently in dire straits thanks to the miasma,” Peony explained, “And the road to reach it on our side is blocked. Kimlasca has a way in through the Deo Pass which is why I requested help from King Ingobert.”

“Wait, Deo Pass…?” Luke felt a chill creep up his spine.

“Yes, the citizens of Akzeriuth are in trouble,” Van said, and Luke felt like he wanted to throw up. It took all of his willpower to keep his expression neutral, but he still balled his hands up into fists so tight his knuckles turned white.

“I see…”

Peony exhaled sharply, “We’ll have to come up with a new strategy for dealing with the problem. For now, Dorian General Grants, Fon Master Ion, I require your assistance for a more immediate matter.”

“Oh?” Ion looked puzzled.

“An Oracle Knight infiltrated the palace two months ago and attempted to kidnap both Luke and Natalia.”

“Wait, kidnap?” Ion looked confused as he turned to face Luke. “I don’t understand, are you not here for Order business?”

“Natalia and I… ran away from Daath and sought asylum. That’s why we’re here,” Luke admitted and Anise gasped.

“Asylum?!”

“Well, this is unexpected,” Van stroked his beard.

“The Oracle Knight is currently in custody and awaiting trial,” Peony spoke up to bring the conversation back on topic, “I’m in need of Order officials to represent her in court.”

“This happened two months ago, you say?" Van asked.

“I understand such a delay is oft unheard of, but the Order of Lorelei is refusing to cooperate. My requests for a representative went unanswered.” 

“We’ll resolve the matter,” Ion said with a nod.

“General Nordheim, if you would fetch her?” Peony asked a man standing amongst the small council. 

“Yes, sire,” the general stood at attention and saluted before hurrying off out of the throne room. 

After a short while, he returned with Tear—still in manacles—in tow.

“Mystearica?!” Van balked at the rather pitiful state of his sister. “What is the meaning of this? You’ve kept my sister in chains for _two months_?”

“She was treated well during her detainment,” Peony held his hands up in a placating gesture, “On that you have my word, but her crimes are serious; I couldn’t just release her while I waited for the Order to respond.”

“I’ve already requested leniency,” Luke spoke up as he stepped to Van’s side, “she was only acting under the Grand Maestro’s orders and never meant harm to myself or Natalia.”

"Van," Tear said, "What His Holiness and His Imperial Majesty are saying is true: I've been well treated, especially given my actions. The Grand Maestro requested that I return His Holiness and Her Highness to Daath for their protection; I was not aware that they had been granted sanctuary by His Imperial Majesty.”

The Commandant still didn't look entirely appeased, although he did his best to hide his irritation for the sake of diplomacy.

Ion said, “Mohs’ orders, while extreme, were understandable considering my, Luke’s, and her Highness’ disappearances. Our choices to take matters into our own hands has left the Order reeling for leadership and balance.”

Luke bit the inside of his cheek. He remembered Guy’s words back on the ferry, recalled seeing for himself through the Score how out of sorts Mohs was over all this. Guilt gnawed away at him whenever he looked over at Tear—she’s had to pay for their rash decisions. His rash decisions.

“Commandant, Fon Master,” Peony looked between them, “the official list of charges are: unlawful entry into the city, infiltrating my palace, assaulting my guards, and attempted kidnapping of my guests. What punishment would the Order deem sufficient?”

“Is two months’ detainment not enough?” Van asked as he crossed his arms. “Very well… I ask you to release her to the Fon Master’s custody, to have her serve under him.”

“I’ve already the company of my guardian, and Tear has not wronged me. It would be more appropriate to have her released into His Holiness’ custody.”

Natalia made a sound like a cat doused in ice water, only just managing to strangle it in the back of her throat. Van's eyes briefly flicked in her direction, before nodding in acknowledgment of Ion's words.

"Very astute, Fon Master. Alright then, Your Imperial Majesty, as Commandant of the Oracle Knights, and as a servant of the Order of Lorelei, I humbly request that Mystearica be released into the custody of His Holiness, the Scion of Lorelei, to serve out her punishment—”

"Wait!" Natalia interjected, unable to hold back any longer, "Commandant, you may recall that one of your own God Generals was sent after us! God General Cato the Blazing serves as Luke's bodyguard, just as Sergeant Tatlin serves as the Fon Master's guardian.”

"Shall I release Mystearica into your custody then, Your Highness?" Van asked, an exasperated smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "You seem to be the only one here undefended.”

“Oh, what an excellent idea!” Ion clapped his hands together as a delighted smile came to his face. “Your Majesty, please surrender custody of Tear to Her Highness, Princess Natalia.”

“Very well,” Peony said with a nod of his head. General Nordheim withdrew a ring of keys from his uniform pocket and undid the manacles binding Tear’s wrists together. “Until such a time Natalia deems the debt repaid, you are hereby sworn to her service.”

“I understand, Your Majesty,” Tear said as she rubbed at her wrists, “Thank you for offering leniency.”

The former princess couldn't even begin to form a protest as the Oracle Knight was contracted into her service. What sort of curse was she under that meant she had to be saddled with the _one_ person who so easily drew Luke's attention.

“Glad to put that nonsense to rest,” Van sighed with a disapproving shake of his head. He’ll definitely have to have a talk with Tear later to learn what Mohs was doing. 

“There is another matter that needs to be addressed while everyone is present,” Peony started and Ion nodded.

“Right, what to do about Akzeriuth...”

Natalia hummed as she went into thought. If memory serves, Akzeriuth was a mining city off the coast of southern Rugnica, and had a population of approximately ten thousand. It was a major point of contention between Malkuth and Kimlasca for a number of years, especially after it was annexed.

"If the road from Malkuth's side of the border is blocked,” Natalia thought aloud, “and Fa—His Majesty King Ingobert will not assist from the Kimlascan side, then there's no possibility of bringing in a large scale force…. Perhaps a small enough team could slip past the border and make it into the city, they could lead an evacuation effort into the mountains." 

Ten thousand people was not exactly an easy number to evacuate, but certainly doable if the able-bodied would help those who weren't able to make the journey by themselves.

“This may be presumptuous of me, seeing as you too sought asylum,” Ion said as he turned to face Natalia, “but this is something you would be most apt leading. With King Ingobert’s anger, a letter of passage won’t work this time, we would _need_ a high ranking Kimlascan to get us across.” 

“It would still require _crossing the border,_ ” Luke repeated for emphasis as he tried to maintain his composure. That was something he just couldn’t risk, _especially_ to reach _Akzeriuth_ of all places.

“I understand your apprehension,” Van spoke in a soothing voice as he reached out and rested a hand on Luke’s shoulder, “believe me, I do. But there are _many_ people out there suffering greatly.”

"Luke," Natalia frowned as she turned towards him, "I know it's dangerous, but can you really just sit back and allow this to happen while we hide here in Grand Chokmah? There are women and children in that town as well as the miners themselves! They could die if this gets any worse!”

“I know that!” Luke snapped as his composure finally slipped, “I know that! I-I… I just…”

“It’s alright, Luke,” Van said, “no one here is making any decisions just yet. We’re only talking, that’s all.”

“….Sorry,” he mumbled to the floor, still keeping his hands in tight fists.

“I’m of agreement that a small team would be the best course of action,” Peony stood up from his throne as be began to pace about the dais, “I don’t wish to volunteer Order members for a rescue of my own countrymen, but any move to send my own soldiers across the border will be seen as a threat by King Ingobert.”

“Yes, I understand,” Ion nodded, “Van, are there any God-Generals you could spare for such a task?”

“Dist, Sync, and Legretta are currently busy with their duties back in Daath. Largo and Arietta are off on a mission together. And Cato is currently walking a political tightrope,” Van mused as he glanced over to Guy.

Guy crossed his arms, fingers flexing against his biceps to keep from fidgeting. "Sorry," he said, "Mmm... our options are pretty thin, aren't they?”

"It would seem so. However, as Commandant Grants said, no one is making any decisions at this time," Peony said, "Even if we were, the preparations will still take a while. I’ll convene with my council and advisors. We’ll deliberate and hopefully come up with some kind of plan. I ask that you too mull over what we’ve discussed. Perhaps one of you might think of something we failed to account for.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Ion said as he bowed his head. 

“This concludes our meeting for the day then.”

—

As the audience chamber emptied out, Van took notice that Luke still appeared unwell. He looked pale, and he was doing a poor job of masking his anxiety. Talk of Natalia possibly crossing the border undoubtedly weighed heavily on his mind.

“Be at ease, Luke,” Van said softly.

“Master?” Luke asked as Van stepped next him.

“I’ll have a talk with Her Highness regarding Akzeriuth. Her successes with Chesedonia and reaching Grand Chokmah may have colored her perception; the miasma is different from a war zone.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of…” Well, part of what he’s afraid of, anyway.

Van smiled reassuringly at his student.

"I know how much you care about her," he said, "She's a kind and determined young woman; Kimlasca is lucky to have her. In a few years, she'll be more than ready to ascend to the throne.”

“Right,” Luke nodded, smiling back at his teacher in turn. There was something about Van that always allayed his worries. 

Van glanced down at Luke’s wrist and noticed a distinct absence of gold. “What happened to your fon slot seal?”

“Oh, it was broken in an accident. My fault, a dumb mistake. Guy tried to repair it but the machinery was too complicated, and it’s too expensive to replace…”

“And how have you been faring? Any incidents?”

“I… I heard the voice again. Just once. But no, no incidents. It’s a lot harder, but I’ve been keeping my intake of fonons to a minimum.”

“I see… Well, I’m proud of you for handling the situation so well. You’ve grown strong, Luke.”

Luke’s cheeks flushed somewhat. “T-thank you, Master…”

Van smiled and ruffled Luke’s short hair. “That’s a fine look on you, by the way. Go relax. I’ll have that talk with Natalia now.”

—

It took asking a couple of maids to find where Natalia had wandered off to after the meeting with Peony adjourned. 

Van quietly closed the door to the library behind himself, finding Natalia with her nose buried in a book. However, her eyes weren't moving over the page, and Van suspected her emotional state wasn't conducive to reading.

He glanced around and noted that his sister was nowhere to be seen.

"Your Highness," he said softly, bowing. 

"I'm not currently a princess, Commandant," Natalia said, closing her book and rising to curtsy.

"Taking sanctuary may have temporarily removed your title, but titles are little more than words," Van said, "You are still a princess, regardless.”

Natalia smiled sadly.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Commandant?”

“I wanted to speak with you regarding the matter of Akzeriuth,” Van said as he took a seat in the chair opposite of Natalia’s. “When the Fon Master made his suggestion, I saw how your eyes lit up. While you may have grown accustomed to the trappings life in Malkuth’s capital has to offer, I know you still yearn for adventure. Leading a relief effort to rescue the trapped citizens of Akzeriuth is something I’m certain you’re longing to do.”

"Are you here to try and persuade me not to go?" Natalia asked, taking her seat again.

"Hardly," Van said, shaking his head slightly, "Besides, trying to convince you not to go would only harden your resolve, wouldn't it? No, I think you are exactly what the people of Akzeriuth need; your skill with healing artes has only increased over the years, and you know how to organize and motivate people. Why, if you weren't otherwise tied to your royal duties, I'd try to recruit you as one of my own soldiers.”

"You flatter me, Commandant," Natalia said, her cheeks flushing.

"Please, call me Van. And flattery doesn't mean it isn't sincere.”

The blush on Natalia's cheeks deepened, and Van smiled.

"You're acting as though no one has ever acknowledged your abilities, which can't possibly be true…"

"Com—Van, please. May we get to the matter at hand?”

“Right, of course,” Van chuckled warmly as he leaned back into his seat. “You have a long history of humanitarian efforts: providing work for your people, building a new hospital, running to a war zone to help your troops—leading a team to Akzeriuth is a logical next step, and would serve to smooth the ridges between Kimlasca and Malkuth. War _can_ be avoided, and saving ten thousand people would strengthen your cause.

“Luke is, of course, worried. He fears for your safety, and he will do whatever it takes to talk you out of this. To him, you’re worth more than those ten thousand people. So, if you’re serious about going, I’d urge you to cement the details in secret, possibly even leave without disclosing your intention.”

Natalia bit her lip. It would be difficult, considering how well Luke knew her and how often he tended to look into the Score. However, perhaps his habit of projecting his own logic onto others would help her obscure her intentions from him.

"Of course," she said with a nod. Luke would be absolutely _furious_ when he found out, but the lives of ten thousand people were worth his anger - even their friendship, if it came to that.

"I knew you'd be reasonable," Van said, "You've grown up quite a bit these last few years, Your Highness. You're a far cry from the scared girl I found in Chesedonia.”

There was something appreciative in his tone that set off the butterflies in Natalia's stomach. This entire conversation, he'd never spoken down to her or dismissed her. He treated her as though her ideas and desires were valid. Ever since Chesedonia, when he'd held her close and let her cry without shame, he'd treated her like a young adult, rather than a petulant child.

Van shifted forward in his chair, leaning in to brush a lock of hair from Natalia's face.

"What's troubling you, Your Highness? You haven't been quite yourself. Does my sister's presence really bother you that much?”

Natalia shook her head. The list of her troubles was too long to voice just now, no matter how much she wanted to.

Sensing mild distress, Van dropped his hand down and rested it atop of hers in her lap. Her hands were bare—a rare sight considering she’s worn gloves for every visit to Daath since she was a small child. 

“If something is bothering you,” he spoke in a low, quiet voice, “I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I’ve known you since you were half my height, after all.”

Van's hands were large and warm, smoothly calloused from years of blade work. The weight of them made Natalia feel so at ease, like finally standing on solid ground instead of a crumbling sand dune.

"It's... Luke," she said softly. 

Of course it was—it was always Luke, wasn't it? 

"He... he said that he loved me and I..." 

"You don't know what to make of that, do you?" Van murmured and Natalia shook her head.

"I know that he cares about me, and that I care about him, or else we wouldn't be here. But I can't help but wonder how much of that is simply because I've been allowed to spend time with him. Sometimes... the way he acts…."

Van hummed in understanding, lightly squeezing Natalia's hand. 

"Luke does care for you; I have no doubt of that," he said, "However, in terms of _love_... well, his upbringing didn't lend itself to teaching him about interacting with others. On the whole, I think he understands, but on a personal basis...? There's something lacking. And too often, Your Highness, I think you have felt that lack.”

He raised his hand to cup her cheek and gently brushed away the moisture gathering at the corner of her eye with his thumb. 

"Can you truly bind yourself to someone with so little regard to your feelings? Princess or not, you deserve so much more, Natalia.”

A shiver went through her as the Commandant breathed out her given name. He was so close she could smell the oil he used in his beard.

"Look at me.”

Natalia lifted her gaze at the firm, but warm order. Van's dark blue eyes were locked on her, his face serious.

"You are well on your way to becoming a vibrant, powerful queen. I believe that, given the right support, you will be the savior your people need." 

Natalia wasn't sure what to say. She could barely hear anything over the sudden pounding of her heartbeat.

"Princess Natalia, will you... will you allow me the great honor of being the one to support you?”

She let out a shaky breath. Van Grants, Commandant of the Oracle Knights, was pledging support... to her? She was as good as in exile—and not even a princess at that! 

"C-Commandant, that's very generous. T-Too generous of you," she said, trying desperately to compose herself, "But I - you must know that I—“

Van put a finger against her lips.

"I know," he said, "A princess with hair like gold born to the royal red family of Kimlasca? I know, Natalia. As I said before, titles are little more than words; you are still a princess at heart. Let me help you prove that fact to those who would doubt it. Together we can save not just Kimlasca, but all of Auldrant.”

He really believed in her that much? Even though he knew she was a commoner?

"Thank you," Natalia whispered, "Thank you for your support. I don't know what I would do without it.”

Van chuckled, leaning in to kiss her cheek and Natalia gasped at the sensation.

"It's the beard, isn't it?" the Commandant asked, "It takes some getting used to. Now, finish your book and have some tea - there's more than enough work to be done over the next few days. Just remember; Luke _cannot_ know.”

"Yes," Natalia nodded, "Thank you again, Van.”

"You're welcome, Your Highness," Van smiled as he stood and gave her a bow, "I am always at your service."


	11. Akzeriuth

“Natalia did _WHAT?!”_ Luke shrieked at his master in horror. 

“I’m afraid so. What’s more, she roped the Fon Master and my sister both into her escapades. I knew she was devoted to her humanitarian efforts, but I never imagined she’d run off like this.” Van shook his head disappointedly. “Luckily, we’ve learned of their plans quickly, and they’ve only a day head start on us. It shouldn’t be difficult to catch up.”

Luke started to pace around his room as every thought, every worry he’d ever had about Akzeriuth came rushing to the forefront of his mind. 

“This is bad, this is bad, this is so _very_ bad!” Luke muttered as he wrapped his arms around himself. Even if he stayed away to avoid whatever calamity he may bring, Akzeriuth was a dangerous gamble he could not risk Natalia being near. So many things could go wrong, there was no guarantee she’d be safe!

“Calm down, Luke—“

“How can you be telling me to be calm?! Her _life_ is in danger! _My_ life is in danger!” Luke shouted at him before he realized how he was behaving. He quickly bowed his head and took a step back, mumbling an apology to the man.

Van sighed as he stepped over to Luke, resting his hands atop his shoulders before giving them a firm squeeze. “I know you’re scared, Luke, but shouting won’t solve any problems. You know that.”

“R-right…” Luke nodded slowly, “I-I just… What am I going to do? I can’t just leave her out there, but if I go after her, then I’ll… and she’d be caught up in it, too…”

“Luke,” Van spoke in a firm tone, “Why is it that I told you of your intended fate all those years ago?”

“Huh…?” Luke looked up at Van with a weary expression.

“It wasn’t to torture you, nor to make you agonize over your impending death. It was to _prepare_ you, to give you _time_ to think about and strategize how you were going to escape that fate.”

Luke bit his bottom lip and shook his head. “I-I never… I was raised to follow the Score, so I just accepted that I was to die…”

“You broke rank for Natalia,” Van pointed out.

“She made me realize the Score was unjust…”

“Good. Use that resolve. Don’t accept this cruel fate cast upon you; fight for your future, and I’ll be there to help you. I _need_ you, Luke.”

Luke blinked several times. That… that was the first time anyone told him that they _needed_ him. For all of his life it was the Maestros and Fon Master telling him what he couldn’t do, restricting whatever few freedoms he had left. Like he was nothing but a nuisance that just needed to sit still, shut up, and let others worship him without complaint.

“You… you _need_ me?” Luke repeated back in a whisper. “That’s… I-I don’t know what to say…”

“That I do, Luke,” Van nodded his head, “I recognize your great potential, the power you have to shape this world for the better. Mohs and Evenos, they were short-sighted fools. To them you were a puppet, useful in keeping people’s faith strong, until the time comes to discard you to your fate. They had no intention of ever letting you be your own person.”

Luke swallowed hard.

“I’m not like that, Luke. I wish to work with you, where you can go on to accomplish many great things. We can go after Natalia, together, and bring her back safely. I’d be with you the entire time to ensure nothing bad comes to pass. I’ve helped you before when your powers went out of control, remember?”

Luke shivered as he remembered that horrible day. But Van was correct, he’d been there in the immediate aftermath, wrapping his arms around him and instructing him on how to reel his powers in. 

Absentmindedly he grabbed at his wrist where the fon slot seal used to reside, and Van took notice.

“You’ve learned to manage your fonon intake without the seal, Luke. Have faith in yourself, trust in your own abilities.”

“…Y-yeah,” Luke nodded, feeling a glimmer of confidence begin to bubble up within his chest. He was still scared, but… “You’re right. As long as you’re there with me, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Silently, Van pulled Luke in for a hug, which Luke eagerly accepted.

“Master…” Luke mumbled into Van’s chest.

Van smirked darkly.

—

Tear watched Natalia carefully over the week of their journey towards the miner’s city, and took notice how often the Princess went to great lengths to avoid her.

It baffled the soldier to no end why she was acting this way, when it was Natalia herself who asked her to come along for this mission. Even still, oftentimes Tear found her making it a point to put distance between them, or would catch her glare out of the corner of her eye. Fon Master Ion didn’t seem to be facing the same predicament, so clearly this was something personal.

They had been wending their way through the steep, rocky terrain that was Deo Pass, cutting down swaths of wolves, axe-beaks, and treants. The sheer numbers of monsters, plus the harsh terrain, caused the only two fighters of the group to use up their stamina rather quickly.

For now, they’d taken refuge in a small clearing on one of the upper pathways, far from any monsters that would attack. 

Tear took a seat on a large rock and pulled a couple of orange gels out of her travel pack, hoping to replenish some of her energy for the rest of the trip to come. She noticed Natalia leaning against a tree on the opposite side of the clearing, looking rather tired herself. 

Silently, Tear stood up and walked over to Natalia, extending her hand out to her.

“Here, take this. It’ll help,” she said, placing the gels into her hands.

Tear's voice startled Natalia out of her reverie. Looking down at the orange gels, she frowned slightly; coming from Tear, the offer made her bristle and she had half a mind to reject it on principle.

"...Thank you," she forced herself to say, passing one of the gels back to the soldier, "but you need this just as much as I do.”

Tear glanced at the returned gel in her hand, and she nodded before popping it into her mouth. While she didn’t understand the Princess’ cold shoulder and general dislike of her, she could appreciate her practicality. 

The orange gel did its trick, and immediately Tear felt a bit lighter and less exhausted. 

She turned to peer over the edge of the trail, looking on at the pass below before judging that they were a little more than halfway to their target. She then glanced over to the Fon Master, who was looking rather rough around the edges himself.

“How are you feeling, Fon Master?”

“I’m alright,” Ion said a tad breathlessly as he used a handkerchief to blot the sweat from his face. “Just a little tired, but I’ll be okay to continue after some rest. I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful against all the monsters…”

"Please, don't worry yourself, Fon Master," Natalia said, having swallowed down her gel. "Your presence alone is very much appreciated. However, it's getting late. If we intend to rest a little longer, we should probably just make camp here—unless we want to try navigating the pass in the dark.”

The idea of taking longer to reach Akzeriuth made her blood burn, but there was no point in coming this far only to tumble off a cliff or to be ambushed by monsters they couldn't see. Resting for the night now meant they could get an early start tomorrow, and perhaps even push hard enough to make up for the time they'd lost.

“We can keep goi—“ Ion started, but Tear was quick to cut him off. 

“Fon Master, we should listen to Her Highness and set up camp. You look unwell, and it would be foolish to press onwards when you’re clearly exhausted. So please, continue to rest. I’ll set up our campsite for tonight.”

Natalia glared at Tear as she interrupted the Fon Master. Soldier or not, she could stand to learn some manners. Her reproach of the other woman was diverted, however, when Ion relented and agreed.

Tear returned to the rock she’d been sitting upon earlier and opened up her travel pack once more. She pulled out their bedrolls before spreading them out across the ground. From there she assembled a small fire pit, though their stock of wood and kindling was running very low.

“Do either of you regret it?” Ion suddenly asked, and Tear looked over her shoulder at him. “Or feel guilty about it?”

“About what?” Tear questioned, and Ion cast his gaze down towards the ground. 

“Leaving without saying anything to the others… I keep telling myself that this is for the greater good, but I feel so bad about leaving Anise behind. She’s bound to be worried sick over me…”

Natalia chewed her bottom lip at that.

Guy would be worried, yes, and Luke would be even more so considering everything he'd done to save her from her Scored fate. Undoubtedly there would be an argument when Luke finally caught up to them. An argument which very well may, considering the scale of things, be the final blow to their friendship for good.

"I feel terribly about it, as a person," Natalia responded, "but this isn't a matter of personal feeling, so I cannot dwell on it. His Majesty the King always said that a leader cannot ever allow their own feelings to affect their dealings with the wider world, even in the worst of times.”

“Mohs has said similar things,” Ion said with a nod, still keeping his gaze fixated on the ground in front of him. “I… understand why, and even agree with it. But even still, I find myself at odds with that mentality and struggle to reconcile…”

“You’re still young,” Tear’s expression softened, “It’s understandable you’re feeling conflicted about this.”

Ion hummed, “I fear Anise won’t forgive me…” 

“I’m sure she will. And His Holiness, too,” Tear turned to look at Natalia, “The both of them are very kind and understanding.”

A blaze of fury rose up in Natalia's chest at the idea that Tear would presume to understand Luke as much as— _if not more than_ —Natalia herself. The feeling was quickly followed up by the despair and desperation for how much she was throwing away for this haphazard rescue operation, and the princess forced herself to push the resulting lump in her throat down.

"You're quite kind to say that," Natalia said in the bland tone she was accustomed to using with certain nobles in Ingobert's court, "It's no wonder Luke has taken such a liking to you.”

Tear blinked.

Oh, so _that’s_ what this was all about? 

“…We’ve nearly exhausted our supply of firewood and kindling,” she said as she grabbed her staff and stood up. “I’ll go fetch some more. Please look after the Fon Master, Princess. I’ll return soon.”

And with that, Tear left their campsite to forage for supplies.

—

By the time Tear had returned to camp, the sun had set, and the Fon Master was fast asleep on his bedroll. As she piled some of the branches she’d collected into the fire pit, Tear took notice that Natalia was still pouting. Honestly, she was a princess, wasn’t she?

“His Holiness and I do not have that sort of relationship, Your Highness,” Tear said as she struck her flint to create sparks. The kindling caught, and a small fire rose up to devour the branches within the pit.

Looking up from mending a strap that had come loose from her quiver, Natalia's frown only deepened.

"What do you mean?" she asked, almost wishing she'd taken the larger risk and left the Oracle Knight in Grand Chokmah like she originally wanted to.

Tear frowned in turn, her gaze going cold, unamused by the Princess’ antics. She was a royal, and she was older, yet somehow it fell on Tear to be the adult in this situation?

“You know exactly what I mean, Your Highness, and I don’t appreciate your attempts to be coy. At the most, His Holiness is an acquaintance. I’ve spent no time with him, I’ve barely ever spoken to him. Whatever you think is going on between us isn’t there.”

"You still capture his attention as though you had a net," Natalia said quietly, tossing a twig into the fire and watching it burn, “...Logically I know that you've done nothing to draw his attention. You've done nothing but _exist_ , and yet he still falls over himself for you. Why? Why are you so special?”

Tear stared at Natalia silently for a long moment, recalling all the times she’d been going about her day in the cathedral and would catch Luke staring at her. She tried to ignore it, rationalize it away, pretend it never happened, but deep down she _knew_ that whenever he was around, he would watch her. It unnerved her greatly.

He’d tried to explain it to her, about how he could hear her fonon frequency, but she wasn’t sure she could believe such an explanation.

“You’re right,” Tear suddenly said, “I haven’t done anything, and it’s very petty and incredibly unfair of you to take your frustrations and anger out on me. I’m here with you on this journey at _your_ request. The least you could do is set aside those feelings so we can focus on the mission at hand.”

"Do you think I haven't tried?" Natalia snapped louder than intended. The Fon Master stirred in his sleep, and she checked her tone before continuing, "I'm sorry that I can't be like you. Genuinely, I am. I wish I could be perfect and beautiful and exactly what people want me to be, and I _have_ tried, but it's never enough. The only person it's enough for is your brother.”

“Perfect?” Tear nearly stuttered in surprise, taken aback that this was the view Princess Natalia held of her. “H-Hardly, I’m far from it, and of course you’re beautiful. There are rumors specifically centered _around_ your beauty.” 

Tear shook her head before letting out a frustrated sigh. 

“I don’t understand why you feel the need to compare yourself to me; you’re a princess, I’m a soldier. We come from two completely different worlds.”

Glancing over at the Oracle Knight, Natalia found herself softening a little. It was nice to know that there was _something_ that could rattle Tear, even if the mention of her own beauty made her blush.

"Not as much as you'd think," Natalia said with a rueful smile. The conversation was coming dangerously close to things she did not want to bring up. She sighed and crossed her arms before asking, ”Is it too optimistic to hope we'll be able to evacuate the entire city?”

“With just the three of us? Yes,” Tear answered bluntly, looking over at Ion’s sleeping form, “but optimism is what’s needed right now. We might not be able to save everyone, but we should work as if we can.”

The fire crackled as a twig snapped, sending the flames higher up into the air and brightening the campsite for a moment.

“You should get some rest. I’ll take the first watch tonight.”

"Are you sure?" Natalia asked, pulling her bow into her lap and running her fingers over the familiar curves, "You pushed yourself quite hard today. It's a pity we couldn't have brought Guy; we'd be much more efficient if neither of us were in close quarters with the enemy.”

Tear nodded quietly in agreement. She could perform some close-range attacks, but her strong suit was support and healing artes. Between the two of them, she’d been taking the brunt of enemy hits while Natalia picked off the monsters from a distance. It did leave her tired—her body ached and her limbs felt heavy—but she knew however tired she was, Natalia was probably faring worse.

She was a _princess_ after all, unused to this kind of fighting or travel. She might not have complained openly, but Tear knew how much the royal disliked having to sleep outside on the ground.

“I appreciate the concern, but I’m sure. I’ll wake you when it’s time to trade shifts.”

Sensing that it would waste what little energy they both still had to argue, Natalia simply nodded. 

"Alright, then," she said as she stood, "...Thank you, Tear. You've extended a kindness that I know I have not earned. I'm not certain I have the means to repay you, but I will try.”

Tear shook her head, “It’s fine, Princess. Please, just get some rest.”

As Natalia settled down for the night, Tear retook her seat on the large rock from earlier and watched the campfire late into the night.

—

As the small group descended down the trail towards the city of Akzeriuth, Ion’s nose twitched as an acrid stench permeated the air. It smelled musty, like decaying earth, and the closer they drew to the city, the more intense it got as other scents, like sulfur, added to it.

Akzeriuth finally came into view as they came around the curve of the trail, and a sinister-looking purple mist enveloped the whole city.

“Is this… the miasma…?” Ion asked as he looked on in horror. “What has it done to this place?”

Natalia's stinging eyes scanned the area, shapes blurring as her body tried to wash the miasma away from the sensitive tissue.

"It's choking the life out of everything," she said, trying not to cough, "The grass and plants are all dead and withered—it’s probably contaminated the soil and the water as well. It's well past the point of being habitable now.”

That the people hadn't evacuated amazed her, but with Mohs pushing for war, the ore from their mining efforts would be in high demand. The people had families to support, and jobs weren't guaranteed anywhere else.

“We should be okay if we don’t inhale a large amount over a long period of time,” Tear said as she looked between Ion and Natalia, “but that doesn’t mean we can be careless. Let’s look for whoever’s in charge and strategize an evacuation plan.”

Easier said than done, of course. The miasma had all but ravaged the mining city, and people lay in the streets, sick and gasping for clean air.

Tear asked those who still remained upright and conscious, and eventually found her way to the inn where a few miners were gathered together poring over mine shaft maps.

“It’s concentrated the most around tunnel 14, so if we seal it off—“

“We can’t seal it off, there’s men still trapped inside!”

“We’ll _all_ be dead if we don't do something about this blasted mist!”

"Pardon me, but is one of you the foreman or the mayor?" Natalia asked and the men looked up. "Or if not, then could you please point us in their direction?”

"Who's asking?" one of the men questioned as he stood from his seat. He was tall, with dark hair, and heavily built.

"Princess Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, Locrian Sergeant Tear Grants, and his Eminence Fon Master Ion," Natalia said without batting an eye at the imposing man in front of them. "We've come at the behest of his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Peony IX, to aid with the evacuation effort.”

“F-Fon Master Ion!” One of the other miners abruptly stood up from his seat, recognizing the young boy.

“Is that really him?” The dark haired man asked and the miner nodded.

“That’s him alright. I was in Engeve when the Fon Master and the Malkuth military passed through. They stayed over at Rose’s place. It was a big deal!”

“Then that means you must actually be the Kimlascan Princess,” the dark haired man laughed in disbelief. “Princess, you can call me Pyrope. I’m the local supervisor over these guys and oversee day to day mining operations. So uh… where’s the rest of your people?”

“It’s just us,” Tear said, and Pyrope scoffed.

“You’re joking. Emperor Peony only sent the _three_ of you to evacuate our city?”

"The roads on Malkuth's side of the border aren't in good enough condition to allow a large group through," Natalia explained. "The Kimlascan roads out of the city are better maintained, but unfortunately my father is unable to move Kimlascan soldiers on a Malkuth-held territory. The Emperor sent us to begin the evacuation process, and both Locrian Sergeant Grants and I are trained healers, able to provide medical assistance.”

Pyrope nodded, taking in the information the princess provided. 

"Alright, then. We'll start rounding up the folks to get 'em out of here, but there's still the problem of the guys down in tunnel 14.”

"Yes, we overheard," Ion said. "You mentioned that they were trapped…"

“Right. Look here.” Pyrope gestured for the three newcomers to look at their maps. “Y’see that large chamber right there? That’s where our men are stuck, and the only way you can reach that chamber currently is through this shaft. Problem is, the miasma is highly concentrated there. What’s more, there’s monsters now roaming the tunnels, making rescue extremely dangerous. We’ve already lost a handful of men to those rabid beasts.”

“That’s why we should cut our losses and seal off the damn tunnel!” The miner from before interjected angrily. “They’re likely already dead, and any attempt to rescue them would be suicide. We should focus on getting everyone else in the city who _can_ get out.”

“Shut your damn mouth, Michael! Trevor’s in there! Jackson’s in there!”

“Keith, enough,” Pyrope snapped at him before turning his attention to Michael, “And you, I’ll hear no more talk of that kind. Have I made myself clear?”

“Yes, sir," Michael said reluctantly, looking down at the surface of the table. 

"If there were people who hadn't been exposed to the miasma as long, and who were capable of dealing with the monsters in the tunnels, would the rescue attempt be more effective?" Natalia asked. She didn't want to speak for Tear, but it seemed sensible that they rescue the trapped miners while Pyrope began getting the rest of the people out of the city.

“Are you volunteering?” Pyrope asked.

“Her Highness and I are trained fighters, we can deal with the monsters roaming the tunnels and help the miners. Fon Master,” Tear looked to Ion, “Please, stay here with Pyrope and help them coordinate an evacuation plan for the rest of the city.”

“Alright,” Ion nodded, “please, be careful, both of you.”

“We will,” Tear turned to face Natalia, “Let’s get to work.”

—

Luke trembled upon seeing Akzeriuth for the very first time. His stomach was doing flips as he stared down at the city that was to become his grave. He hadn’t realized he was starting to hyperventilate until he felt Van’s hand placed upon his upper back. Immediately he looked up at the older man, who’s gentle, reassuring smile helped to soothe his frayed nerves.

“You’ll be fine,” Van said.

Luke swallowed hard and nodded, trying his very best to calm down. Rem, he wished he still had his fon slot seal…

“How are we going to find them in such a huge place?” Guy asked before looking at Luke, “Think you can track them down in the Score?”

Luke shook his head. “I’d have to go back to the night they left and follow them here. We don’t have that kind of time.”

"His Imperial Majesty informed me that a man named Pyrope oversees the mining operations; he's the closest Akzeriuth has to a mayor right now," Van said. "Lady Natalia may be foolhardy to have run into such a dangerous place, but she understands how projects of this scale work. It's likely she sought out Pyrope to direct her where relief efforts would be most needed.”

His sharp blue eyes scanned through the town, assessing the movement and structures. 

"Concentrate your efforts on finding him; I'll speak to the miners closer to the tunnels.”

Immediately Luke grabbed hold of Van’s sleeve, clutching onto it as if he were a scared child. Wordlessly, Luke pleaded with his teacher not to go off on his own, but the man frowned and gently pushed his hand away.

“You’ll be _fine,_ Luke.”

“Alright…” Luke said quietly, wishing he could believe that.

As Van started to walk toward the city, Guy pulled Luke aside and asked under his breath, “Hey, are you okay? You’ve been panicking ever since we reached Deo Pass.”

“I’m just… worried about Natalia.” Technically the truth. “What if we can’t find her in time?”

“I’d say that’s more than just worry,” Jade commented casually and Guy shot him an annoyed look.

“You weren’t exactly a part of this conversation,” Guy snipped.

“My apologies, though Emperor Peony _did_ ask me to watch over you lot. I can’t say I’m feeling confident in this plan if Luke’s about to have a nervous breakdown.”

“Gah! Enough! We’re wasting time!” Anise stomped her foot on the ground repeatedly. “Ion’s down there somewhere breathing in all this nasty stuff and he’s frail! Let’s get a move on!” she urged.

"Anise is right, we should get going," Guy said, moving forward and pulling Luke along with him away from Jade. The Necromancer might have been a realist, but his remarks were less than helpful right now. "C'mon, Luke, let's start asking around. Her Highness does tend to stand out in a crowd; I'm sure it won't be long until we find her, or hear her giving someone orders, yeah?”

Luke could only nod as he was practically dragged down into the city below.

—

Heeding Van’s advice, Luke, Guy, Jade, and Anise started their search by asking whoever could still stand where this mysterious Pyrope was. A miner, barely able to be upright without the support of his pickaxe, directed them to the city’s inn in the upper tiers.

Luke felt sick to his stomach for the entire walk to the inn. The stench of the miasma overpowered everything and assaulted his senses, and bodies laying in the streets reminded him of the corpses on the battlefield, or the wounded in field hospitals.

Relax… just relax… calm down, and maintain control…

The door to the inn opened up and Anise gasped upon seeing the missing Fon Master within.

“Ion!” The girl cried out as she rushed over to the boy’s side. She hugged onto him tightly before promptly letting go and giving his shoulder a hard shove. “What on Auldrant were you _thinking?!”_

“A-Anise!” Ion gasped in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

"We're here to bring you back, you big dummy!" Anise let out an exasperated breath, "You, and Natalia and Tear! We've all been worried sick—especially Luke! Why'd you go running off with them, huh? You _know_ it's not good for your health to travel too much, and we only _just_ got back!”

"I'm sorry, Anise. I didn't mean to worry you," Ion said, gently placing his hand on his guardian's shoulder, "But I'm alright. Natalia and Tear made sure that I didn't press myself too hard. That's why I'm up here.”

"Up here?” Guy echoed, "Fon Master, what do you mean 'up here'? Where are Lady Natalia and Tear?”

“Ah, are you friends with the Princess?” An unfamiliar man asked as he stepped out from the table he’d been seated at. 

“Who’re you?” Guy asked.

“Name’s Pyrope, I’m the local supervisor here,” he introduced himself, “Your friends volunteered to rescue some of our miners trapped down in tunnel 14. I warned them it was plenty dangerous—the miasma is highly concentrated and there’s lots of monsters now roaming the mine shafts—but they were determined to help.”

“When did they set off?” Jade questioned.

“Yesterday afternoon. Haven’t seen ‘em since. Been too busy working with the Fon Master here to evacuate those we can out of the city and into the mountains.”

“They’ve been down there all night?!” Luke balked in disbelief.

"Far as I can tell," Pyrope said. "The princess said they'd be alright—they’re healers, both of 'em, and tough fighters. I asked her if she wanted extra men or supplies, but she insisted that we focus on getting folks out of the city.”

"And you just let them go down there by themselves?" Guy fumed. 

"Hey, buddy, I offered help, and there was no 'let' about it. The princess gave me the feeling she'd push right through me if I tried to stop her, and her soldier friend said they wouldn't be long.”

Luke grit his teeth, clenching his jaw tightly as intense anger washed over him.

“That _idiot!”_ he snapped, turning on his heel before dashing out the door.

“Wh- Luke! Wait a minute!” Guy called out as he rushed out after him.

Jade sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head. “Well, this certainly does not bode well.”

“You’re right… Let’s go after him,” Ion said, much to Anise’s dismay.

“Ion, are you kidding me? The air is terrible, you can’t go out into that!” She insisted.

“It’ll be alright. Tear said that as long as we don’t inhale a large amount over a long period of time, we should be fine. And I’m worried about Tear and her Highness, too. They should have been back by now.”

“I’m of agreement with Anise that you should remain here, but, it’s not as if I can stop you,” Jade shook his head.

“Sorry, Jade,” Ion apologized before looking at Anise, “and I’m sorry to you as well. I really didn’t want to worry you…”

“Well, you did!” Anise pouted, resting her hands on her hips.

“I’ll make it up to you when this is all over. I promise.” Ion smiled at her.

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

—

Luke hurried down through the tiers of Akzeriuth as fast as he could navigate in the dense smog. The mist did well to obscure his view the lower into the city he got, making it hard to tell just where he had to go next.

Eventually, he found a service elevator that took him towards the bottom of the city.

He rubbed the tears away from his stinging eyes and glanced around before _finally_ seeing the large painted sign with the number 14 on it.

As he eyed the opening to the ominous-looking tunnel entrance, a figure emerged from the dark mists. It was Tear, struggling to support a miner who could barely stand on his own two feet. The man was wheezing, stumbling as Tear did her level best to lead him out of the mines.

“Tear—!” Luke called out as he approached her.

The melodist blinked and looked clearly startled to see him. “Y-Your Holi—I mean, Luke? What are you doing here?”

Luke took a good, long look at her. She looked completely drained, with dark circles under her eyes and her complexion ashen. Rem, who knows what kind of damage she and Natalia have done to themselves, breathing this crap in all night long!

“What do you think?” Luke snapped as he glanced around. “Where’s Natalia?”

“She should be just behind me with another miner,” Tear said, gently easing the man off her shoulder and helping to brace him up against the cliffside. 

The miasma filled the tunnel, rendering everything farther than ten feet away to little more than shadowy figures, and anything more than a few feet after that was completely obscured. If Natalia was behind Tear, she was still much further back in the tunnel. Now that Tear and the miner had paused to rest, it became clear that there were no footsteps to be heard from the princess.

Having caught up to Luke's mad dash through the city, Guy, Jade, Anise, and Ion stopped at the mouth of the tunnel. Anise hovered over the Fon Master, fretting over his harsh breathing. 

"I'm... alright... Anise..." Ion panted, looking to his guardian with a fond smile, "I'm just... not very used to running. I'll be okay in a minute.”

"I can't believe Natalia dragged you all the way out here!" Anise frowned, "When I get a hold of her, we're going to have a little chat about making stupid decisions for other people!”

"You'll have to find her first," Guy said, noting that the princess hadn't appeared from the mists, “Luke..."

Luke’s face twisted up into a scowl. Without even thinking he stalked off into the mine, ignoring Guy’s calls for him to wait, that it was dangerous to blindly rush in.

Guy let out an annoyed groan, prepared to set off once again after his charge when Jade spoke up.

“Let him go. If he’s determined to make stupid choices then let him. Our efforts would be put to better use if we finish aiding the trapped miners. The sooner they’re out, the sooner Tear and Natalia can leave this tunnel behind.”

Guy grit his teeth. Jade had a point, but it would be foolishly irresponsible to just let Luke run around in the miasma and monster-infested mine. Sure, he’s made some progress with his sword training as of late, but he’d never actually used his blade in a real battle before. He, Van, and Jade had dealt with the monsters and bandits that attacked over the course of their journey.

“Well _I’m_ going after him,” Anise huffed as she rested her hands on her hips, “I’m going to rip that spoiled princess a new one for carelessly endangering Ion like this!”

“A-Anise…” Ion chuckled weakly, “please, don’t…”

Jade felt a headache coming on.

—

Luke pressed further into the mineshaft, the miasma now potent enough to burn at his nose and throat with each breath he took. His eyes kept watering, making it even more difficult to see just which way he needed to go. 

The mineshaft was mostly linear, with only a few branches splitting off from the main pathway. Luckily they were dead-ends, making finding his way through all of this nonsense somewhat easier, if only barely.

A dark shadow suddenly appeared in the miasma, and Luke made a grab for his sword until he saw Natalia emerge, holding up a miner the same way Tear had.

“Natalia!” Luke yelled angrily at the disheveled looking princess.

“...L...Luke?"

Natalia's lungs felt like they were on fire, and not just from exertion. Breathing had become a chore as her body tried to block out the miasma, and her voice was thick with congestion. She'd tied a torn scarf over her nose and mouth to try and filter the air, but the fabric did little good.

The miner she was supporting murmured something in a state of feverish delirium and shifted his weight, making Natalia flinch as she struggled to hold him upright. Her limbs trembled with exhaustion, and she grit her teeth against it. They were so close…

"Come on, just a little farther," she said, turning her attention to her patient, "I know it's hard, but you have to keep going; I can't carry you…!"

The miner was gasping for air in between fits of coughing so intense his chest rattled. It sounded wet and pained, and he spit up a large amount of purple-tinged phlegm.

Luke took a step backwards in disgust, flinching at the raw imagery before him. He’d been subjected to unpleasant things via the Score before, but he’d never seen something quite like _this._ It was dirty, vile, and repulsive—similar to the festering wounded within the field hospitals, only worse.

He redirected his ire at the princess, “Are you out of your mind?!” He started to shout at her, “What were you _thinking?! _Did you even think _at all_ before you ran off without even bothering to say anything!? How _dare_ you just _leave_ like that after _everything I’ve done_ to help you!”__

__Even though she knew Luke would be furious, his shouting at her now of all times hit Natalia like a slap in the face. Sweat beading on her brow from the effort of holding up the miner, she did her best to stay calm._ _

__"Luke," she started slowly, "I know you're angry, but can you please just wait a few moments...?"_ _

__The rest of the group stepped out from the mists, having followed the sounds of the argument to find them._ _

__"Natalia...!" Guy started, hurrying forward to relieve the princess of her burden before she could hurt herself any more. The miner groaned pitifully, and Natalia stumbled and fell to the ground as the weight was lifted off of her._ _

__“Here, I’ve got you,” Guy said as he helped the miner keep steady on his feet, “I’ll take him to the entrance. Luke…”_ _

__“What?” Luke snapped at him with a hard glare._ _

__“I know you’re upset. Just…be careful with what you say,” Guy warned before he set off with the sickly miner._ _

__Luke looked back down to Natalia, who’d started to pick herself back up off the ground. He clenched his jaw tightly as his thoughts raced in a million different directions. She was safe, thank Yulia, but she looked so tired and weak._ _

__Before he could open his mouth to reprimand her further, Anise stepped in front of him and got up into Natalia’s face._ _

__“Just who do you think you are, dragging the Fon Master out here into this mess?! You _know_ Ion is frail, this _can’t_ be good for him! What would you do if something bad happened to him? The Order _needs_ him!”

Natalia flinched as though she'd been struck, grateful that at least the miasma excused the way her eyes watered and stung. 

“—honestly, it's probably a _good_ thing you're staying away from Baticul. You'd be even worse on the throne than that old fool Ingobert!" 

"Enough!" Natalia snapped, her shout echoing down the abandoned tunnels of the mine. Raising her voice in such a way clawed at her vocal cords, but it was like releasing a dam - once it had started she was powerless to stop. 

"Don't. _Ever_. Speak to me like that again! Don't ever speak of my _father_ like that again!”

Anise's eyes were wide and she was nearly stepped on as Natalia advanced upon Luke.

"And you! I didn't ask for your help— _you_ decided for me! You do not get to treat _kidnapping_ me as though it were some kind of favor that I _owe_ you! And furthermore, you do not get to _abandon_ people in need just because you are frightened!”

“K-Kidnapping?!” Luke stuttered. _That_ was how she viewed what he did for her? He _saved_ her! He turned his back on _everything_ in his life _for her_ , and _this_ was the thanks he got? Did she have that little regard for her own life?!

“Luke, don’t—“ Ion started to speak up, but Luke shook his head.

“You _agreed_ to come with me!” Luke argued back as he balled his hands up into fists. “I did what was necessary to keep you out of harm’s way and here you are spitting in the face of those efforts! I’m trying to keep the both of us ali—”

“Quiet, both of you!” Jade interjected with a stern voice, causing everyone in the tunnel to look at him. “This childish squabbling is getting you nowhere, and is quite frankly wearing on my last good nerve. Now I suggest you put this aside until _after_ we finish evacuating the miners.”

Luke glared at Jade, who looked impassive in return.

“Natalia, how many remain?” Ion questioned.

Still seething, Natalia tried to ignore the taste of blood that mingled with the scent of miasma in the back of her throat. She'd tried to tell Luke that this was not the time, but of course he wouldn't listen to _her_. Swallowing hard, she looked over at the Fon Master.

"...Three," she said, her voice so hoarse it was barely recognizable. She glanced at the others; Jade would be able to physically assist, Guy too when he got back, and Luke _might_ , but Anise and Ion... 

"Fon Master, you really shouldn't be down here. The miasma is worse in the tunnels than anywhere else in town.” Natalia frowned. "Anise, would you be able to escort the Fon Master back to the Inn?”

“But I wish to help—“ Ion protested, but Anise was quick to cut him off as she grabbed at his sleeve before tugging.

“Ion, _please_ listen to her! This is really bad for your health! They can finish getting the last few miners themselves. Let’s head back up to the inn where it’s safer—“

“What’s all of this about?” A deep voice asked and all turned to see Van and Guy together step forth through the thick wall of miasma. “I heard shouting, is everything alright?”

“No, everything is _not_ alright,” Luke spat as he continued to glare at Natalia.

Van sighed, shaking his head at the teenagers before him. Eleven years later and they’re still at each other’s throats. Some things never change.

“Princess, you look ready to collapse. Please, I insist you return to the inn and get some rest. I’ve already sent Mystearica on her way there for some well earned reprieve. Colonel Curtiss, Guy, can I entrust you two to help finish up the rescue operation?”

“Yes, sir!” Guy saluted Van, and Jade nodded.

“Excellent. Luke, Fon Master Ion, there’s something I wish to discuss with the both of you.”

“Hold on!” Anise piped up, “Ion needs to go back to the inn as well!”

“I’ll escort him back to the inn myself once our conversation is over,” Van promised the young girl, “but this is important and needs to be discussed before anything else can be done.”

Anise pouted. “Mm… fine, if you have to. I’ll go help Guy and the Colonel then.

"Thank you," Van said with a smile, "I promise, I will keep things short.”

"Commandant Grants," Natalia started as Van moved towards her and Luke, "I can—“

"You can go back to the inn and rest," Van said firmly, "You've already pushed yourself to the point of injury and exhaustion, just as you did in Chesedonia. Go, now.”

Sensing that there would be no swaying the Commandant, Natalia nodded in resignation and began walking back to the mouth of the tunnel.

With Natalia heading off, Guy, Jade, and Anise continued further into the mine to resume the rescue operation. When Van was certain they were out of earshot, he directed his attention to Luke—who still looked incredibly angry—and the Fon Master.

“What is it you need to speak with us about, Van?” Ion questioned.

“At current pace, it’s futile to continue on,” Van started as he crossed his arms and shook his head, “This city is enormous; there’s no possible way to evacuate everyone safely before the ill-effects of the miasma take hold. I fear continuing on down this path will only waste time and put others needlessly at risk.”

“No kidding…” Luke muttered bitterly under his breath.

“That is why I’m proposing an alternative solution,” Van said, and this piqued Luke’s interest. “If there were no miasma, there’d be no need to evacuate the city.”

Ion blinked. “But, there is no way to deal directly with the miasma?”

“There is,” Van stepped forwards as he reached out and placed his hands upon Luke’s shoulders. “A hyperresonance can neutralize the miasma.”

Luke’s eyes widened as his blood ran cold.

“What?” Ion asked skeptically, “Can a hyperresonance do that? I’ve never heard of such a thing…”

“A hyperresonance has the power to destroy any matter on a molecular level,” Van explained, tightening his grip on Luke’s shoulders. “We need only to find the miasma’s source, and a precise hyperresonance will destroy it.”

Luke shifted uncomfortably. “A hyperresonance…? N-no, I can’t… I can’t do that…”

"Yes you _can_ , Luke," Van said, "Think about it; you've been completely in control despite lacking your fon slot seal for weeks. And I'll be right there with you, guiding you through it. Everything will be alright." 

Sensing his student's remaining hesitation, he added in a slightly more somber voice, "The miasma cannot go unchecked for any longer than it already has. I understand if you would like some more time to calm your emotions, but know that Princess Natalia's efforts to evacuate the city have severely compromised her health. If we act now, there is a chance she will recover, but…"

Luke swallowed hard, feeling creeping dread as cold beads of sweat rolled down the side of his face. “B-But the Score said…” his voice quivered in fear.

“Luke, have I ever lied to you?”

“N-no.” Luke shook his head.

“Then _trust me_ when I tell you that everything will be okay. Can you do that for me?” Luke nodded mutely. “Good. It makes me happy to hear that. Fon Master,” Van released his grasp on Luke before looking to Ion, “I’m afraid I must ask for your assistance in this matter, too.”

“What do you need?” Ion asked.

Van led the two of them deep into the mine, deeper than the chamber where the last few miners were being rescued from. Here monsters still roamed, and Van was quick to dispatch any that came too close to them. Down a long, twisting pathway, they came upon a dead end where a bizarre fonic glyph lay etched across the stone.

Immediately Ion hesitated, recognizing the pattern.

“I can open it, yes, but whatever do you need to head in there for?” Theoretically, Van shouldn’t be able to do anything inside.

“The source of the miasma is within,” Van explained as he gestured to the nearly opaque purple mist surrounding them.

Ion did not look particularly comfortable with that explanation, and he stalled, looking between Van, Luke, and the sealed passageway before them. He bit his bottom lip, wrestling with the decision of what to do when Luke suddenly spoke up.

“….Do it,” Luke said, and Ion blinked in surprise.

“Luke?”

“I… I trust what Master says,” Luke started as he glanced up at his teacher, “This is the only way to make sure the miasma’s gone for good.”

Ion shifted his weight from foot to foot, before ultimately sighing in defeat. He stepped up to the glyph and extended his arms out to touch the etching. His hands glowed as he channeled fonons, breaking the seal that closed off the passageway.

The wall opened up, and a long tunnel appeared before them. 

“Excellent,” Van stroked his beard, “Fon Master, you may return to the inn now—“

“If it’s alright, I wish to remain and see how this works,” Ion requested.

“But the miasma—“ Luke started, and Ion shook his head.

“I’ll be okay,” Ion insisted, and Van sighed with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

“Very well, Fon Master.”

—

The scenery transformed further into the tunnel the small group went. Strange architecture revealed itself to them as they descended into the earth, with odd lights showing them the way. Luke came to an abrupt stop when he noticed the walkways turned clear—revealing just how _deep_ of a drop it was. Rem, he couldn’t even see the bottom of the chasm they were over… just how far down did it go?

With Van’s gentle coaxing, Luke continued onward, coming into a large, cavernous chamber that had a tall glowing pillar within the center.

“What… is this place?” Luke asked as he glanced around. He’d never seen _anything_ like this before within the Score, and yet somehow this place was… familiar. The feeling tugged away at the edges of his consciousness, similar to how he felt the Score. He then noticed the large amount of light flecks swarming the pillar. Not fonons, those were…

“Memory particles?” he questioned aloud and Van whistled.

“I’m impressed. Yes, those are memory particles.”

“Master, what is this place?” Luke asked again as he spun around, taking the view in.

“This is a special place,” Van explained as he gestured to the large glowing pillar, “A place that connects deeply to the core of the planet, where the miasma leaks out from.”

“There’s miasma in the core?!” Luke asked in shock and Van nodded solemnly.

“You wouldn’t have learned about it, as the Order forbids learning the world’s history before the Dawn Age. No one knows for certain, but it’s theorized the miasma was a byproduct of the Fonic War.”

Luke furrowed his brows. Fonic War? When did that even happen?

“What am I supposed to do?” Luke asked, and Van smiled, motioning for him to stand next to him. Luke obeyed without question, and looked up to his Master expectantly.

“Good, now, hold your arms out towards the pillar. Yes, just like that,” he said before taking a large step back from him. “Now, pathetic, naive scion, unleash your power!”

Something within Luke lurched.

He gasped, frozen in place as suddenly he was drowning within seventh fonons. Bright golden particles flurried around him in an increasingly chaotic manner, eclipsing his vision as he was practically encased within. Panic shot through him, immediately flashing back to when he was ten years old.

He had to rein his power in, he couldn’t allow for it to spiral out of his control again!

He struggled valiantly, managing to suppress the hyperresonance for a few moments, but ultimately what meager control he exerted slipped through his fingers.

“Van!” Ion called out, only to be flung back into the nearby wall by the force of the unleashed hyperresonance.

The pillar in the center of the room shattered, its pieces vanishing into thin air.

Luke collapsed onto the ground, his breathing ragged as his vision started to darken. Vaguely he was aware of Van stepping closer to him, and he glanced up, seeing a sadistic-looking smirk on the man’s face.

“Beautifully done, Luke,” Van chuckled to himself as the cavern they were in began to tremble violently, “I knew I could count on you.”

“W-what…?” Luke struggled to ask before his eyes rolled back into his head and he slipped into the realm of unconsciousness.


	12. The Aftermath

—

Stepping onto the elevator, Natalia kept her blurred gaze focused on the ground in front of her. The miasma and the gathering moisture in her eyes made it near-impossible to see, but she refused to let a single tear fall or wipe them away. Luke had already humiliated her enough as it was, she couldn't let anyone see her crying about it; no matter how badly she wanted to.

The argument in the tunnels kept replaying itself in her mind, adding to the nausea that had been gnawing at her insides for days. She grit her teeth and tried to squash her feelings down as she fumbled for the buttons of the elevator. Things would... well, perhaps it was too much to think they’d be alright, but Commandant Grants would finish evacuating the city and the citizens would be safe. That was all she could ask for now.

“—Your Highness?”

Tear had been waiting at the rear of the elevator platform, despite Van’s instructions to return to the inn and assurances he would take care of things. Given how _angry_ Luke had been when he went into the mineshaft, she opted to delay until the princess caught up, just to be safe.

And was she glad she did - Natalia looked like she was about to break, and it left Tear wondering just what words were exchanged between her and the Scion, if they were even words at all.

“Princess, are you… alright?” Tear asked cautiously. 

Natalia startled, looking up to see her companion for the ride to the inn. _Oh no._ Almost anyone else would have been preferable, but she could not let the Commandant's sister see her so affected. At least Tear hadn't seen the argument in the mines; she could have chalked it up to the mercy of Lorelei, but she now realized that Lorelei didn't have mercy as much as it simply overlooked the petty needs of most people. 

"I..." she started, the crow-like roughness of her voice a shock after several minutes stewing in her own quiet fury, "...Luke and Anise felt it necessary to voice their opinions on the situation as soon as our paths crossed.”

She hoped Tear would draw her own conclusions from that. Scraping up those last few ounces of diplomatic ability left her head swimming with exhaustion.

“I see…”

They stood in an awful, awkward silence. Tentatively, Tear reached out to place a hand on Natalia’s upper back, but hesitated at the last moment. Such familiarity didn’t seem entirely appropriate…

Instead, she reached past the princess and pressed the button to operate the elevator. Whatever consolations she could offer could wait until they were within the relative safety of the city’s inn.

The gate to the elevator shut, and the cart rumbled for a moment before it began to rise, taking them higher into the city.

Tear’s eyes found Natalia once more, noting how despite everything, her shoulders were still trembling.

“For what it’s worth,” Tear started, trying to find the proper words, “I believe you did the right thing. These people needed your help.”

“...Eh?"

A familiar, comforting warmth spread through Natalia's chest. It was just as it had been with Van in Chesedonia—just a few simple words swept away some of the raw emotions like a balm.

"Thank you," she said softly, looking up at the other girl with a weak smile. Despite her initial sternness, Natalia thought, Tear had a kind face that reminded her of her aunt’s.

She didn't have time to think of much else as the sudden and unmistakable sound of shifting earth echoed through the city. _A mine collapse?_ Natalia desperately prayed to Gnome that it wasn't the tunnel that Luke was in or any of the ones near it. 

Just as she concluded her prayer, the elevator shuddered to a halt several feet below the level of their exit. Natalia stumbled at the abrupt stop, throwing her arms around Tear to steady them both. The now-bent metal scaffolding around them creaked as they held their breath, and Natalia heard the spine-chilling sound of a cable reaching its breaking point.

“Hold on—“ Tear started to yell, but was cut short.

The cable snapped, and the elevator plunged.

Tear couldn’t stop the scream from ripping out of her throat as they plummeted down the broken elevator shaft. There wasn’t much time, and she could see the bottom of the city rushing up to meet them. Clutching onto Natalia tightly, Tear forced her fear aside.

_’Croa riou ze tue riou rei neu riou ze,’_ she sang out, generating a protective fonic barrier around them mere moments before the elevator collided with the ground.

The crash was massive, the elevator shattering upon impact in an explosive mass of shrapnel. From under the wreckage, Tear groaned in pain. She was alive, Yulia bless, but that was far from a gentle landing. She cracked open an eye, finding Natalia still wrapped within her arms.

“I-I’ve got you,” Tear said as she tried to sit up, struggling to push a beam of warped metal off them.

Bruises were bound to form in the shape of Natalia’s hands on Tear’s arms. Slowly, the princess opened her eyes to find Akzeriuth coming apart at the seams.

Miners were shouting - screaming. Those who were able were rushing through the city; some to crumbling structures, others to the tunnels. Natalia's body ached worse than before, and when Tear shifted the metal that had fallen on them a flare of pain raced up her right leg.

"Are... are you alright?" Natalia panted, trying to focus on something outside of her body, "Wh...what was that?”

“I-I don’t know,” Tear replied as she looked around them, getting lost amongst the growing chaos. “An earthquake, maybe?”

But she’d never heard of earthquakes of _this_ magnitude, unless...

Her eyes widened as she brought her hands up to cover her mouth. So what she’d overheard back home _had_ been true! Which meant—!

The ground began to shake violently again, the earth groaning as large sections of the ground upheaved. Portions of the city’s tiered walls cracked apart, crumbling away into a gaping abyss.

“We need to find the others, now!” Tear urged as she tried to help Natalia up to her feet.

"R-right," Natalia stammered, the realization on Tear's face not at all comforting. She braced herself as she got to her feet and tested her leg. Pain ran through her like a lightning strike and she fumbled for something to hold onto. "Come on, everyone should still be inside tunnel 14!”

“Can you walk?” Tear asked, noticing the way Natalia tried to keep her weight off her leg. There was no time to address it now though. “Here, lean on me. I’ll help.”

The labyrinthine mine shafts were barely passable now, and Tear did her best to aid Natalia. However, the tremors were increasing in both frequency and intensity—just maintaining her own balance was becoming a challenge. There was no sign of anyone at the head of the passage, though, so the pair pressed further in. They made it to the chamber where the miners had been trapped, and faint shouting could be heard from further along. 

“C-come on, we’re almost there!” Tear wheezed, feeling dangerously lightheaded. It wouldn’t be long until she collapsed from pure physical exhaustion, but for now they had to keep going.

—

“—this isn’t the answer!” Guy yelled at Van, the man standing opposite him with an unconscious Luke draped in his arms. “We vowed revenge on the world, but _this?!_ This isn’t right!”

“Gailardia, I’ve warned you of your soft heart. You care too much,” Van said evenly, his eyes narrowed as though Guy were nothing more than a misbehaving child.

Guy drew his blade.

“I won’t let you use Luke for this!”

"I should never have allowed you to get so close to him," Van frowned, "You've grown too attached to see clearly."

Guy charged, but Van was already two steps ahead of him. He whistled, the sound echoing throughout the chamber before an animalistic screech pierced the air. One of Arietta’s gryphons swooped in from a hidden perch, plucking the Commandant and his captive up and out of striking range.

“VAN!” Guy snarled, but the Commandant ignored him to look down upon the scene before him: the Fon Master was close by, guarded by that pesky little brat and that troublesome Colonel, but even if he could extract him, the gryphon was already overburdened with Luke’s extra weight. If only Ion had obeyed him and returned to the inn. Another one would have to be made to accomplish his goals, and he’d hoped to have everything done before the year’s end...

His eyes were then drawn to his sister, seeing her and the princess enter and make their way towards the center of the chamber. _Dammit, Mystearica!_

“I had hoped you’d have returned to the inn by now,” Van started with a tone of sincere remorse, “It is a shame that extra gryphon will go to waste, but I need the Scion more than I need the Fon Master or you.”

He finished in a cold, hollow tone that made every hair on the back of Tear’s neck stand on end.

“Brother!” she gasped as the chamber they were in began to break apart. Without any more acknowledgment, Van signaled the gryphon sharply. The creature squawked once more and dove down past the edge of the platform, disappearing into the dark void below.

_“LUKE—!”_ Guy screamed as his friend and his former mentor vanished from sight.

Staring at the spot where Van had disappeared with Luke, Natalia's body nightmarishly refused to respond to any commands she gave it. The world around her took on a dreamlike quality as well, with time seeming to pass in slow motion, and the garbled sounds around her registering as speech but not words.

Anise hoisted Ion upright, letting the Fon Master lean against her. 

”Ion! Are you alright? We have to get out of here right now!"

"There's no time for that, the cavern is collapsing,” Jade said, his tone clipped as he assessed the rapidly deteriorating situation, "Some of the tunnels have already caved in." 

“Everyone, come close!” Tear instructed as she held onto her staff tightly.

Guy hesitated, his gaze still lingering where Luke disappeared. It... it wasn’t possible. How could this have happened? How could he have _let_ this happen...?

“Guy!” Jade snapped, sharp enough to break him out of his stupor and sprint to where the others were tightly gathered around Tear.

_’Croa riou ze tue riou rei neu riou ze,’_

Another fonic barrier appeared, shimmering around the group as the chamber completely collapsed and the earth fell away beneath them.

—

Slowly, Luke’s wits began returning to him. His mind felt light and scattered, and his whole body tingled. There was a buzzing sensation specifically in his hands, most noticeable in his fingertips, slowly radiating up his arms and into his shoulders. He’d felt this way once before, when he had—

Luke’s eyes snapped open wide and he shot upright with a gasp.

He’d cast a hyperresonance!

He blinked as the day’s events started to come back together: Akzeriuth, the miasma, a plan to save everyone.

_He was alive…?_

A laugh escaped his lips. He was _alive!_

Wait… How was he still alive?

He finally took a look at his surroundings. He was on a small bed in a plain and unfamiliar room. Sitting in a chair to the side of his bed was an older man with long greying hair, dressed in a deep brown robe.

Seeing Luke upright, the man smiled gently.

"Your Holiness," he said bowing his head reverently, "I'm glad to see you've awoken. Welcome to Yulia City. We are honored to have the Scion of Lorelei himself within our humble walls.”

Luke stared at the man for a long moment, his brow furrowing. The man chuckled to himself before shaking his head.

“Of course you’d be confused. Please, feel free to ask me any questions you’d like.”

“…Who are you?” Luke asked.

“You may call me Teodoro,” he introduced himself with another bow of his head, “I am the mayor of this place, Yulia City.”

Luke glanced around the room again before looking back to Teodoro.

“Alright… where is Yulia City? I’ve never heard of it before.”

Teodoro’s brows raised. 

“And here I thought you would have been made aware… No matter. Yulia City is the home of we Watchers, those of us who watch and observe the larger world to ensure it follows the path of Yulia’s Score.”

Luke tensed up. Did this man know of his attempts to defy the Score?

“That doesn’t tell me _where_ Yulia City is.” Luke frowned.

"Mmm? It seems there is much you do not yet know," Teodoro mused, "Ah, but you're still young. I am sure Lorelei has designs for you yet... Yulia City, Your Holiness, is a city in what is called the Qliphoth. The world as you know it is suspended miles above us—what we call 'The Outer Lands'." 

He watched the Scion carefully. Outsiders rarely took the revelation of the Qliphoth well, but some handled their distress better than others.

“…What?” Luke breathed, the crisp bed sheets crumpling under his fingers as his hands clenched into fists.

“It is the truth. The Outer Lands were originally here, a part of the Qliphoth thousands of years ago, but it was Yulia herself who engineered a way to lift the world’s crust to escape the miasma—”

“Wait, hang on!” Luke jumped up from the bed, startling Teodoro. “How did I even _get_ here? The last thing I can clearly remember was a weird room at the end of the mineshaft and then…”

His eyes widened and he felt sick to his stomach upon recalling _how_ he cast his hyperresonance.

“My grandson carried you in and asked that you be allowed to rest.”

“Your grandson?”

“Your tutor, Vandesdelca.”

“Where is he?” Luke demanded as he stepped toward Teodoro, his hands about to catch the older man’s collar, “Where did he go?!”

"Vandesdelca said that he had other business to attend to in the Outer Lands," Teodoro said calmly. "He said that he would return in due time to collect you and asked that we shelter you here until then. As I understand it, you've had more than one great shock today." 

He paused for a moment, taking in everything about Luke.

"...Would you care to join me in prayer for the souls of those lost?"

Luke looked at Teodoro in disgust, taking a step back before freezing in place. It wasn’t just the citizens of Akzeriuth that had been caught in the city's collapse; _everyone else_ had been caught up within Akzeriuth too. Guy, Anise... Natalia...

For a single, agonizing moment, Luke felt his emotions overtake him, paralyzing his body and threatening to drag his thoughts into a dark spiral.

No, no… he couldn’t give into despair and grief. He didn’t even know what _happened._ There was… there was still a chance they could have gotten out of there, right? He hesitated, on the cusp of a Score trance. He could find the others, but what if… what if they all really _were_ dead? He couldn’t stomach the thought of any of them being gone forever.

Luke shook his head. The suspense of _not knowing_ was even worse than wondering ‘what if.’ 

“I’m going to look for my friends.”

“What? You can’t go out into the Qliphoth, you would never survive out there. It’s folly—“

“I don’t _need_ to go outside in order to look for them,” Luke said, watching as realization graced Teodoro's face. He had heard tales of the Scion’s special abilities - how fascinating to be allowed the opportunity to see it for himself.

“Is there anything you require?”

“Don’t let anyone disturb me, I’ll need time, but I _will_ find them.”

Sitting back on the bed with a deep breath, he centered himself and stepped into the Score.

—

Storm clouds rolled overhead and eerily purple lightning streaked across the dark and hazy ‘sky’ of the Qliphoph. The endless sea of mud churned in a disquieting fashion, swallowing up the rubble of Akzeriuth. Luke stood atop jagged chunks of land that were slowly crumbling underfoot, every second chipping away at the possibility Guy and the others were still alive.

_This was where Akzeriuth fell, so where…?_

He scoured the area for any survivors. Instead, he found corpses, and their bodies were so mangled it was astonishing they were still in one piece.

Luke Whimpered, taking a step back from the carnage as he felt whatever hope he had of finding his friends begin to disintegrate. Logic was screaming at him that _nothing_ could have survived a fall from so high up, and it was pointless to keep looking, yet he refused to give in. Clinging to what shreds of optimism he had left, he kept searching.

After what felt like hours combing through the slowly sinking ruins of Akzeriuth, Luke spotted a scrap of richly dyed cloth no miner could afford. The teal of Jade’s uniform stood out in stark contrast to the unending, dull purple of the Qliphoth. Immediately he ran to the man’s side, finding the colonel sprawled out on the ground. To his left was Anise. Tear was collapsed over a nearby rock, and just beyond were Guy and Natalia.

Luke stared silently for several long moments before stumbling over to Natalia. Even if he knew he couldn’t physically touch her like this through the Score, he still reached out to grab her arms. When his fingers phased through, he let out an angry sob.

_‘Wake up!’_ he demanded as he kept futilely trying to grab her, to shake her awake so she wouldn’t be so deathly still. _‘Open your eyes, dammit! After everything we’ve been through it can’t end like this!’_

As if by some miracle, Guy stirred.

Luke gasped and turned to look as his friend let out a low, pained groan.

_‘Shadow, Gnome, Sylph, Undine, Ifrit, Rem, Lorelei—thank you,’_ Luke breathed out as he clasped his hands together. _‘Thank you, thank you!’_

Guy winced before he could even open his eyes as he felt a sharp pain in his side. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see a small, jagged piece of broken metal partially embedded in his abdomen.

“Oh, that’s just _perfect_ ,” Guy muttered as he tried to see just how bad it was.

Shallow, thankfully. He wasn’t sure what he would have done if it had gone deeper and punctured an organ. A few test tugs confirmed that despite it being a relatively shallow injury, the metal wasn’t about to come out without a fight. He doubted he was in danger of immediately bleeding out if he removed the shrapnel, and as it stood he was in danger of injuring himself further if he left it in. Removing it was going to hurt like hell though.

Steeling himself and trying not to tense too much, Guy gave one good, hard pull. He sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as the shard dislodged from his flesh—his relief lasting but a moment before the pain resurfaced and he felt blood trickle from the wound. Not ideal, but it wasn’t fatal, and he’d live so long as he kept pressure on it. 

Pressing a hand to his injury, Guy slowly sat up and finally looked at the area around him. Luke had never seen his friend so in awe.

Terrified awe.

Guy quickly pulled himself up to his knees, and instinctively reached over to shake Natalia awake. Primal fear kicked in. He halted his hand just inches away from her shoulder before pulling back in panic and revulsion. He looked around again, spotting Jade nearby—if he could wake Jade, the colonel might be able to help check on the girls.

“Jade!” Guy grabbed him by the shoulder and gave him a hard shake, “Colonel, can you hear me?”

Something else drew Guy’s attention, and Luke watched curiously as his friend rushed over to a seemingly empty space nearby, crouching down before extending his arms out.

“There we are,” Guy said, resting his hand upon thin air, “Just take it easy.”

_Wait a minute…_

Luke suddenly realized that it was Ion Guy was helping. He might not be able to see or hear the replica, but from what he could gather, Ion was at least able to sit upright. That was a relief…

Ion slowly stood and glanced around, his face tight with worry as he saw the destruction in all directions.

“I’ll try to take care of the girls, you keep trying to wake Jade,” Ion instructed, bending down to tap Anise’s cheek several times.

Guy breathed a sigh of relief and murmured his thanks to the Fon Master before turning back to Jade. As he was about to shake the colonel again, the man spoke without opening his eyes.

"I will remind you that it is entirely possible one of us may have a spinal injury," he said, sounding only mildly annoyed. He flexed his fingers but made no other move to sit up, "If I become paralyzed due to your eagerness to rouse me, I expect you to take responsibility and be my full-time nurse.”

"Good to see you're in your usual good mood," Guy said, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice, "...You aren't paralyzed, are you?”

"It would seem not," Jade said, bringing one hand up to ensure his glasses were still in place before opening his eyes and sitting up, "Without a medical examination I cannot definitively say that I didn’t sustain any serious injury, but my own assessment will have to do for now. It appears that we have more pressing matters at hand.”

He pulled himself to his feet and moved over to where Tear and Natalia lay, taking each girl's pulse in turn. Guy sat back on his heels, unable to watch; the sight of the girls laying prone and motionless filled him with a disconnected sort of terror. When Ion managed to coax Anise into consciousness, Guy found it a bit easier to breathe. Given by how much profanity the young girl was shouting, she seemed to be alright. No doubt Luke would be relieved—

Guy’s breath caught as he remembered moments before the fall, how Van disappeared with Luke and left the rest of them to their deaths. Luke was by no means safe with that man, but wherever he was now had to be better than this hellscape.

“What are we going to do!?” Anise asked on the verge of tears as she frantically looked around their patch of crumbling rock. “It’s mud all around us for _miles!_ There’s no way out!”

“Anise, calm down. Panicking won’t help our current situation,” Jade said as Tear finally began to stir.

“Then what _will_ help?!” Anise turned on her heels to face the colonel, throwing her arms up into the air for extra emphasis, “If we don’t get out of here soon, we’re all going to die!”

Tear let out a moan before opening up her eyes, her head dizzy as the world seemed to spin violently. With Jade’s help she briefly managed to sit up, but she lost her balance as her consciousness faded in and out.

“We’ll be… okay…” Tear managed to say as she leaned up against a piece of upturned rock for support, “There’s…mn..!” 

She winced, cradling a broken arm to her chest. 

“T-there’s a city, out to the west…”

Luke gasped. That had to be Yulia City! Now he had a sense of direction!

“Setting aside how you know that for now,” Jade started, “That doesn’t change the fact that we have no means of transport to reach it.”

“Is there _any_ way to contact the city from here?” Guy asked, mentally praying for some sort of salvation.

Tear’s expression rapidly shifted from realization, to horror, to grim resignation before she shook her head.

“We’re all gonna die!” Anise wailed as she clutched onto Ion tightly, burying her face into his robes. “The princess is already dead and we’re next!”

Guy's breath hitched in his throat and his eyes immediately fixed on Natalia's still form. She... she couldn't be. Not like this—not after everything Luke had done to save her. Jade had checked her pulse; he would have said something if she was dead... _wouldn't he?_

"Anise," Jade said sharply, "Control yourself. Natalia isn't dead; don't forget that she and Tear pushed themselves past their limits before all this happened. While it is a little concerning she hasn't regained consciousness, it isn't unexpected.”

And perhaps that was for the best. Waking now only to be pulled down into the dark muck surrounding them seemed quite cruel, even for fate.

Ion placed his hand on the back of Anise's head, feeling her tears soaking the front of his robes. 

"Anise..." he murmured, not sure what to say to comfort his guardian.

For his part, Jade turned back to Natalia, carefully shifting her so her head was cradled in his lap as he checked for external injuries. Just as he began his examination, her eyelids fluttered.

"Where...?" She started, her raspy voice nearly inaudible.

“Natalia!”

Guy moved as close to the princess as he could tolerate. She still looked bad, possibly in worse shape than Tear, and the both of them were the only healers the group currently had.

“Dammit, if Luke were here he could help patch you up…”

“I can... do it,” Tear offered, moving to get up before her knees buckled.

“No you can’t, you’ve barely the energy to sit up,” Jade said as he glanced around their immediate vicinity, “Knowing our luck, our item bag has sunk into the mud by now… Not that gels would have much effect at this point.”

“What do we do…?” Ion asked in a whisper.

A weak, pathetic cry for help sounded off nearby.

Guy leapt to his feet and tried to follow the sound to its source, checking behind, around, and under every pile of rubble he could find. He could barely take two steps without stumbling over a corpse, but the calls for help were growing louder. He followed them to the very edge of their tiny island and abruptly came to a stop, his eyes growing wide at the sight before him.

“Guys! Guys get over here, now!” 

The others startled at Guy's call, and both Anise and Ion hurried to see just what he had found. Jade glanced down at Natalia who was trying to sit up. 

"Stay here, and don't move," he said, propping her up against a boulder as he had done for Tear. With the princess settled, he made his way towards the others.

Natalia could barely keep her eyes open as she watched Jade go. It would be so easy to just close her eyes and let her pain ebb away into nothingness. Catching herself just as her head began to dip, the princess tried to clear her head. The idea of putting weight on her injured ankle made her skin crawl, but it was better than letting herself fall asleep now. Ignoring Jade's warning, she started pushing herself to her feet.

Tear grabbed hold of Natalia’s sleeve with her good arm before giving a hard tug. 

“Don’t. Listen to the Colonel and rest. We’re in no shape to help any further.”

Natalia winced as Tear's tug pulled her off-balance and her bad ankle turned in the soft earth with a sickening crunch. Her vision went white and her ears rang with the fresh pain, but distantly she could hear Guy. 

“—He’s sinking!”

_’Natalia, just listen to her!’_ Luke shouted. He was immeasurably grateful to the sentients that Natalia had survived, but _dammit_ she was so selfless it bordered self destructive! Rem, he loved her but she was such an idiot at times.

The princesse pulled her sleeve back with all the force she could muster. 

“I… can’t wait… here!” she forced out. Disregarding Tear's continued protests, she pushed herself back up and proceeded as fast as she could to where the others were gathered.

—

At the _very_ edge of their broken island, dangling precariously close to the miasma, a young boy lay trapped under the corpse of a miner and a pile of debris. Despite the blood and injuries on both the miner and child, it was easy to see the family resemblance, and the miner's protective embrace—tightly curled around the boy, even in death—now almost certainly sealed his fate.

"Please... help...!" the boy cried, reaching a tiny hand towards Guy and the rest of the party.

"It’s too unstable," Jade warned Guy, careful to keep his voice low enough so the child would not hear. He kept a tight grip on Guy’s arm, refusing to allow him any farther, "If you try to reach him—“

"How can you be so cruel?!" Guy accused, trying to twist away as the land between them and the boy completely eroded. With no direct path to reach him any longer, Jade loosened his grip and Guy broke free. 

“There’s- there’s gotta be a way to save him,” Guy said, scrambling over what available options there were. No rope, nothing around that could be used as a bridge or ladder, he didn’t know how to cast fonic artes and it’s not like there were any he could think of that would even be of any use. He combed his fingers through his hair, pulling on it as the small child continued to moan out pitiful pleas.

“It hurts…!” the child cried, struggling to push his father’s corpse off of him. The shifting of weight caused what little sliver of land he was on to shudder, and a portion of it sank away into the mud.

“H-Help me…!”

Anise put her arms around Ion, burying her face into his robes once more. She tried to turn his head away, but the Fon master wouldn't budge. 

"I'm sorry..." he said, meeting the boy's tear-filled eyes. 

"Please, help...!" the boy tried again, the panic and fear in his eyes sharpening as he realized that no one was coming to save him. As Natalia stumbled into view, he tried again, recognizing her as the one who’d first helped with the evacuation of the city. 

"Lady!" he gasped, "Lady, please... you helped us before…!”

What little color remained in Natalia's face drained away. 

"John..." she breathed. Why had he still been in the city? John and his father were among those who should have been evacuated first!

The land beneath John lurched again, sinking even further down into the muck. He let out a startled yelp followed by an agonized scream as his feet became submerged, the heat of the viscous mud beginning to scald his skin.

“HELP!” He screamed desperately, clawing at what little ground remained and trying to drag himself out of the thick muck. His legs kicked desperately for a few moments as his screams became nothing more than primal shrieks of agony. After what felt like a lifetime of pained screaming and futile struggling, the Qliphoph claimed its victim completely.

A deafening silence fell over the area, broken only by a single bubble rising from the mud where John had sunk and popping along the surface. 

Anise broke down into tears, crying for her mama, papa, and brother. Ion’s eyes seemed glassy, not moving from the spot where John had lay as he stroked his guardian’s hair.

“…We should return to higher ground,” Jade said, “The land here is unstable; it’ll probably only be a matter of minutes before it sinks as well.”

Guy tore his gaze from the point where John had disappeared to glare at Jade, his hands shaking. They had been _so close._ Another few feet and they could have pulled the boy to safety, however temporary it might have been.

"Y-yeah..." he stammered at last, "We should... We should... oh, Gnome..."

He couldn’t stop the tears streaming down his face. _They were going to die._ They were all going to die a slow and agonizing death, because of _Van._

Luke couldn’t bear to watch this anymore. He’d seen some horrible, messed up things from within the Score before, but _none of it_ could _ever compare_ to watching an innocent child drown in such a horrifying way. 

He ended the trance, returning to the small room in Yulia City. His face was wet. Bringing a hand up, Luke realized he’d begun crying while in the trance.

“Ah, Your Holiness. Welcome back,” Teodoro said, still seated at the Scion’s side, “The tears started flowing somewhat recently. Is everything alright? Were you able to find them?”

“Y-yes,” Luke cleared his throat as he rubbed the moisture from his face, “Yes, I found them! They’re still alive!”

“Truly?” Teodoro murmured in surprise, “I never would have thought...”

“We _have_ to rescue them!” Luke got up from his seat, “They’re to the east, stranded on a chunk of land that’s starting to sink. Does Yulia City have any ships that could make the journey?”

“We have a small number of vessels we make use of should the outer walls of the city need repair. They’ve never had to make such a voyage—“

“It’ll have to do, there’s not much time. And prepare your city’s hospital because Natalia and Tear are _badly_ injured!”

"...Tear?" Teodoro repeated, his eyes widening with a glimmer of fear before he managed to compose himself, "I... As you wish, Your Holiness. I will see to it right away. Please, feel free to make yourself at home in our humble city.”

With that the old man stood and swept his way out of the room, leaving Luke alone.

Without prying eyes, Luke let out a small sob as he shuddered, feeling the full extent of his emotions wreaking havoc on his body. He couldn’t let himself break yet, though, not when he didn’t even know if the others were safe. He needed a distraction.

Shaking, he looked around the small room and found a different door than the one Teodoro had used to exit. He shuffled over and opened it to reveal an equally small washroom with basic facilities.

“Water—!” 

Luke made a dive for the sink’s faucet, turning it on and gulping down several mouthfuls of crisp, cool water. How long had it been since he last had a drink, or something to eat? Prior to Deo Pass, at least, which felt like an eternity ago now. 

Thirst quenched, he shut off the tap and took a good, hard look at himself in the mirror. He was filthy, though nowhere near as bad off as his friends, and his eyes were shadowed and haunted. Had it not been for his hair, now more of a dusty brick color than vibrant red, he hardly would have recognized himself.

Luke grabbed the bar of soap on the edge of the sink and turned the tap on as hot as it would go. Scrubbing roughly at his hands and face until his skin burned did nothing to erase what he’d done, nor did it take away the insidious feeling of being _used,_ but there was slight catharsis in watching the dirt and grime that had coated him spiral down the drain. 

After patting his face dry, he stepped back out into the bedroom, his curiosity rising up to urge him to explore. There was so much he wanted to know about Yulia City, and the people who called the mysterious, hidden city ‘home’, but that would have to wait; he needed to stay with his friends and make sure they got rescued.

Re-taking his seat on the bed, Luke crossed his legs and rested his wrists against his knees. He took a deep breath, and cleared his thoughts of everything except a single fonon frequency.

—

The others had returned to the area where they had first fallen, however the group was splintered worse than before. Natalia had collapsed back down beside Tear, her hands clasped in her lap. Guy was only about an arm’s length away, but even within the Score Luke could feel tension that kept his friend from moving any closer to the girls.

Anise clung to Ion, who stroked the young girl's hair and held her in a tight embrace. Her tears had dried up, but only, it seemed, because there simply wasn’t enough water left in her body to form them.

Jade was standing on a slight overlook, his face set in its usual impassive expression, as he subtly propped himself up on a fallen support beam and gazed eastwards. Whenever another piece of their refuge crumbled away his eyes scrutinized the shoreline and his jaw tightened. 

"Tear, how are you holding up? Still with us?” Guy asked quietly, checking his own injury. He pulled his hand away from his side and found fresh blood coating his palm, the bleeding barely having slowed since he pulled the metal shard out. That couldn’t be good, maybe he should have left it in after all...

Tear nodded in response to his question, though her eyes were growing heavier with each passing moment. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could last when even getting her vision to focus was becoming a laborious chore. This really wasn’t how she’d planned things to go… If there was one thing she regretted, it was that she didn’t put a stop to Van sooner—that she didn’t take him as a threat more seriously. Maybe none of this would have ever happened if she had just...

“Good… try to stay awake. You might have a concussion,” Guy instructed, shaking Tear from her muddled thoughts as he did his best to remain optimistic.

There wasn’t much point to worrying over their injuries or trying to delude themselves much longer, though. He’d noticed the rate of the land breaking up was increasing - their time was running out.

_’Just hang on for a little longer,’_ Luke knelt between his friends, _’Help is on the way, I promise.’_

Tear nodded again, though she didn't seem to buy into Guy's forced optimism. He couldn’t blame her, she wasn’t stupid and could see the situation for what is was. He turned his attention to Natalia, surprised that the princess could remain so calm. She’d always been one to wear her heart on her sleeve, but maybe all those lessons in being a leader had paid off.

"Natalia?"

The princess didn't respond. Instead, she kept her eyes fixed on the eternally stormy sky above, and Guy wished he could bring himself to reach out and hold her. For so many years he’d watched her starving for physical affection; now, in their last moments of life, he couldn’t even manage to hold her hand.

Listening to the land crumble away into the sea of mud like sand running through an hourglass, Natalia felt a kind of numbness above panic or despair. It was almost peaceful, to see things with such brutal clarity. 

Everything she had tried to do was for naught. The people she had tried to save were all dead. A _child_ had died in absolute misery right before her eyes because she had believed in a man who found it all too easy to sweet talk his way into her good graces.

Van had _used_ her, used her need for affection and approval to destroy an entire city and its inhabitants, while leading them all to their doom. Lorelei only knew where Luke was, or what Van had done to him.

_Rem_ , and their last conversation had been one final, immature argument. 

…Was this punishment for her selfishness? For her arrogance for daring to defy the Score? Or perhaps she was just collateral damage? She wasn’t a princess, or even a person of real importance to the world at large. Who was to say the powers beyond Auldrant took any note of her?

At least this all confirmed one thing for Natalia: Lorelei was not good. Lorelei was _cruel_ in its apathy for the devout. How could _anything_ good justify something like _this?!_

The Order and the Score were all just lies. This was not prosperity. Not even close.

—

Time dragged on, and Luke was growing increasingly nervous. Several hours had passed, and a third of the island had now been consumed. What was left of the landmass was disappearing ever faster, forcing the six survivors closer towards the center. Deprived of their original supports, Jade had carefully shifted Natalia and Tear to lean against him as they slipped into longer bouts of unconsciousness.

It wouldn’t be long until there wasn’t enough room for all of them, and then— 

A low hum made Guy’s ears perk up. It sounded like an engine, but there was no way there’d be something like that out here in the middle of nowhere. His mind had to be playing tricks on him, probably delirium brought on by stress, dehydration, blood loss, and inhaling so much miasma. How like his brain to trick him into being hopeful before dying.

The hum grew louder, however, and Guy could make out the distinct creaks and groans of gears. _That was the sound of a ship engine!_

He turned, seeing a light pierce through the fog of the miasma in the distance.

“Is that really a ship!?” he said as he scrambled to his feet, wincing as the sudden movement pulled at his wound which began to bleed sluggishly again.

"It would seem so," Jade said as he turned his head to face the sudden commotion, "It's coming from the west; likely people from the city Tear mentioned.”

"Hey!" Guy shouted, waving his arms over his head in an attempt to flag the ship down, "Over here!" 

Anise looked up, her eyes red and swollen, and immediately followed Guy's lead. 

"Hey! _Heyyyy!"_ she shouted hoarsely, jumping up and down, "Stop! We're here!”

The ship drew closer, and when Guy heard the engine cut he laughed with relief. They were saved. 

The ship slowed before coming to a stop at the edge of their tiny refuge, and a platform was lowered to allow two crewmen to disembark.

“You guys alright?!” one called. “We were told you had injured!”

“Told?” Jade asked as the men approached.

“His Holiness informed us of your survival,” the other crewman answered, “He said two of your group were pretty badly hurt.”

“Lu—His Holiness is alright?"

Guy could hardly believe it. Van must have brought him to the city Tear had mentioned—and it sounded like he wasn't exactly keeping too close an eye on the boy…

"Guy, there will be time for that later," Jade said before looking to their rescuers, "Yes, we have two injured members of our party, just here." 

He nodded at Tear and Natalia.

"Tear!" The second crewman exclaimed as he rushed over, "Where have you been? Look at you, your grandfather was so worried! Come on, let's get you home and patched up.”

One by one they were all brought aboard the small ship. Tear and Natalia were given the only remaining seat on board while Guy and the others had to remain standing. Not the most comfortable way to spend the long ride back to Yulia City, but it was better than staying behind and dying a slow, horrible death. 

Given how confined everything was, Luke felt grateful for his intangibility as he tagged along for the ride back, just to make sure no hiccups happened.

“I’m going to give Luke the _biggest_ hug when we find him,” Anise said, still shaking.

“You think he’s okay?” Ion asked.

“If he’s ordering a search and rescue operation I would assume so,” Jade said with a nod, “Though, we can’t rest easily. There is a strong possibility of Van being there as well.”

One of the crewmen overheard that snippet of conversation as he was walking by the tiny cabin, and popped his head in to say, “The Commandant had to leave on urgent business. He’s currently back in Daath.”

“Oh, thank you,” Ion said with a small smile and the crewman nodded before disappearing back out onto the deck.

“And he left Luke alone? Is he dumb?” Anise balked.

“No,” Guy shook his head, “He’s overconfident and cocky. He thinks we’re all dead, and that Luke will obey him without question. We have the element of surprise now.”

"Let's not advertise the fact that we are currently at odds with Van," Jade said, grateful that the crewmen was no longer in earshot. "It's likely that he is still passing himself off as trustworthy to those around him; openly opposing him could make things very difficult for us.”

“Agreed,” Guy said with a serious expression, “We’re going to have to play things very carefully.”

_’...Yes we are,’_ Luke sighed.

—

The ship arrived at Yulia City, and Natalia and Tear were swiftly transferred to the city’s only medical facility with the help of citizens and stretchers. By now, both girls were barely clinging to consciousness as the majority of hospital’s doctors swarmed their bedsides in the main medical bay.

A few seventh fonists checked over the other members of the party before directing them to a smaller treatment room. Guy’s wounded abdomen earned him his own cot, disinfectant, several stitches, and lots of fluids. Anise, Ion, and Jade’s superficial wounds were easily smoothed over with a few healing artes. 

As Anise finished getting the last scrape on her arm healed, the door slammed open and Luke rushed in.

“You made it!” he exclaimed, and Anise tore away from the healer to throw herself at her brother.

“Luke!” she cried out, fresh tears of joy in her eyes. Luke returned her hug just as enthusiastically.

“I’m _so glad_ you’re okay!” Luke squeezed her tightly before looking from Anise to Ion to Guy and then Jade, “I’m so glad you’re _all_ okay!” 

"You're telling me," Guy breathed out, the sudden relief of their rescue and seeing Luke alive and well making him almost giddy, "I thought I'd never see you again when we—when we got, uh, separated." 

The healer who had been attending to Anise looked uneasy at the informality being shown to the Scion of Lorelei, and the outright _blasphemy_ of the way Anise threw her arms around him. It wasn't his place to contradict the Scion, however, so after making sure the group didn’t need any more treatment, he quickly made his exit to give them some privacy.

"There's quite a lot to discuss," Jade said, "Should we move this reunion to somewhere a little more suitable?”

“Wait, how’re the girls?” Luke asked.

Before anyone could answer, he poked his head out into the hallway to try and get a glimpse of Tear and Natalia in the main medical bay. The wall of doctors in between him and them made it difficult to get close. Standing on the tips of his toes, he could see just enough to know the two of them were still in _bad_ shape.

“Things got… dicey out there,” Guy said.

“…I know, I saw.”

“I’m sure they’ll be okay. They have all these great healers helping them,” Guy said with a strained smile, “Jade’s right; there’s lots to talk about. Let’s go discuss things while they work.”

“Hold on, should you be moving around?” Luke asked and Guy lifted his uniform’s tunic to show off his bandaged side.

“I’m alright,” he tried to insist, but Luke was instantly at his side with a hand hovering over the bandage. As he tried to cast a healing arte, he started to tremble.

“Hey, it’s fine. You don’t need to do that, I’ll be okay,” Guy said, gently taking Luke’s hand with a reassuring squeeze.

“...Okay,” Luke nodded, squeezing Guy’s hand back before letting go, “There’s a… there’s a conference room we can use in the heart of the city attached to the mayor’s office. We can all talk there about what to do next.”

“Whoa, do you have permission from the mayor?” Anise questioned.

“The people here are even _more_ devout than those in the cathedral. No one has told me ‘no’ to anything, it’s like I have free run of this place.”

“Is that how you managed to rescue us?” Jade asked and Luke nodded.

“Basically. I told Teodoro to do it and he did it.”

"Normally I'd be a little worried about the lack of boundaries going to your head, but right now I'm pretty grateful," Guy sighed. He forced himself to his feet and clapped a hand to Luke's shoulder, relishing the solid warmth underneath his palm.

"Let's go," he said, giving Luke a nudge. Staying in this room with nothing to do but worry as the healers worked on Tear and Natalia was going to drive him insane.

—

“So, do you mind explaining what happened back there in Akzeriuth?” Jade asked. Luke shifted nervously in the stiff conference room chair.

“Van had me cast a hyperresonance at this… pillar thing. I don’t know what it was. After it shattered everything started shaking. That’s when I blacked out. When I woke up, I was here, and learned that Akzeriuth had... had collapsed...”

“You’re lucky you weren’t conscious for it, it was _so scary!_ ” Anise whimpered with a shudder.

“Yeah, we’re really lucky Tear was able to cast a barrier to protect us. Without her, we wouldn’t have made it,” Guy said.

“What was the pillar that Luke mentioned?” Jade asked and Ion raised his hand.

“That was a part of the sephiroth. It acts as a support pillar to hold up the land from the planet’s surface. When the pillar was shattered, the support the land received was gone, and as a result, the land fell.”

“So it’s true,” Jade murmured, “I’d heard theories back when - well, that doesn’t matter. The question here is why Van would desire such a thing.” 

“Revenge,” Guy said coldly.

"Oh?" Jade asked, his face piqued with mild surprise.

"Revenge? What the heck do you mean, Guy?" Anise frowned, "What kind of revenge would the Commandant want to have? And why Akzeriuth?”

“I can answer that last one,” Luke said, and all eyes were immediately drawn to him. “It’s because Akzeriuth was _my_ Death Score.”

“Wait, _what?_ ” 

Suddenly, Guy remembered the time when Luke had isolated himself—just after his first hyperresonance, when Guy had to practically shake answers out of him. 

“ _That_ was your Death Score? That? That was how you were supposed to die?”

“Yes…” Luke nodded, and when Guy tried to swallow it felt like he had a lump in his throat.

“What the hell...” he muttered.

“Yeah… and Van was the one who told me. As for why he’s doing all this, Ion told me that Van had plans of some kind—” 

“Wait, I did?” Ion interjected, his eyes wide with puzzlement and just a touch of panic.

“Ah, yes you did,” Luke managed to catch himself, “A while ago, back around Emperor Peony’s coronation. ”

A look of understanding graced Ion’s face. 

“Oh yes, of course. That’s right. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to find out just what those plans were. What I do know is that the God Generals have been using me to open the way to some of the other passage rings.”

“Passage rings?” Anise asked.

“The area where one can control the sephiroth. It’s where we were, prior to the fall,” Ion answered. “I always wondered why, though; in theory no one should be able to use any of them, but after witnessing what Luke did…”

Luke’s shoulders dropped and he cast his gaze off to the side.

“No one’s blaming you here, Luke,” Guy said.

“Well you should. My blind trust got everyone killed…”

The miners, the townsfolk, that poor child...

"Well of course you trusted the Commandant - everyone does!" Anise said, "...Or at least, we did. Emperor Peony, King Ingobert, and most of Daath all trust him. Saying you don't trust the Commandant is a really good way to get people to think you're crazy.”

"Regardless, laying blame isn't going to resurrect Akzeriuth," Jade said, his eyes narrowing in on Guy, “Perhaps our resident God General has insight into Van’s plans. Come now, Guy. Out with it.”

Guy met Jade's gaze with his own glare before he let out a very long, drawn out sigh. Where should he even start?

“Van is… angry—angry at the world, angry at the Score, angry at Lorelei and Yulia,” he started, choosing his words carefully, “A long time ago, the two of us swore to get our revenge on the world, and I willingly worked with him to achieve those ends, but… he never told me that our ‘revenge’ would be anything like this.”

“Revenge for what, exactly?” Anise asked.

“That’s… not something I can share easily,” Guy said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. The conference room chair creaked as he did so, and the tension in the room made the noise seem deafening.

"So how do we know we can trust you?" Anise pressed, "I mean, you came after Luke and Natalia as a God General under Van, didn't you? How do we know that you aren't feeding information back to Van or waiting around to finish us off?”

“It was Mohs’ orders I acted under at first,” Guy corrected before adding, “Besides, if Van needed me to spy on you, don't you think he would have avoided collapsing a city that I was in? Look, you don’t have to trust me, but don’t forget that I could have— _should have_ —returned Luke and Natalia to Daath as soon as I found them, instead of allowing them to seek asylum in Grand Chokmah.”

Luke’s cheek twitched as he remembered Van’s words in the mineshaft.

_”Luke, have I ever lied to you? Then trust me when I tell you that everything will be okay.”_

“…What happened in the past to make you and Van swear revenge on the world?” Luke asked, and Guy sputtered.

“Luke, wh—”

“ _What happened?_ ” Luke asked again, “Either you tell me, or I _will_ find out through the Score. I _want_ to trust you, Guy, believe me I do, but I can’t. Not until I know what is actually going on, and where you stand. The stakes are just too high now.”

Guy grit his teeth. As much as he hated it, as much as it hurt, Luke had a _point_. He wished this issue had come up any other day but today, after they had already been through the emotional wringer, but Luke was going to check the Score if he didn't start talking. Perhaps if he could be the one to tell the story, it would soften the blow...

"...My name was Gailardia Galan Gardios," he said quietly, "I was born in Malkuth, on an island called Hod. My father was Count Zygmunt Gardios, head of House Gardios. Van's family were ancestral retainers of our House, and Van... well, he was like an older brother to me. The Hod War began on my fifth birthday. My mother and father, my - my older sister, my _whole family_ was murdered, along with all of our maids, and almost all our other servants.”

The conference room was dead quiet, and Luke could only stare at his friend with his mouth agape when Anise suddenly jumped up from her chair with an excited squeal.

“You’re a noble?!” she demanded, her eyes sparkling with greedy mischief as she batted her eyelashes at the startled blond, “Y’know, Guy, you’ve always been my _favorite_ of the God Generals. So tall, so strong, so cool—“

“I’m not a noble, haven’t been one for a long time,” Guy said quickly before Anise could think to get any closer. She groaned in disappointment and threw herself back into her seat with a pout.

“If memory serves correctly, the Gardios estate has been secured within the Emperor’s treasury. I imagine it would be quite easy to have your status reinstated,” Jade mused, causing that devious glint in Anise’s eyes to return.

“Guy, I… I had no idea,” Luke said. 

Thinking back, he remembered being taught about the most recent war between Malkuth and Kimlasca when he was a kid, maybe five or six - it had only come to a conclusion a few years earlier, then. Fon Master Evenos had told him it was all a part of the Score, and that it was for the best that the island was destroyed. 

_Didn’t his father have a role in it?_ He could vaguely recall hearing something about Duke Fabre’s involvement in the war at some point. He’d have to look into that later.

“As for Van,” Guy continued, “Well, Hod was his home, too, and it was destroyed because it was foretold in the Score. He hated the Score, and swore revenge on the world that allowed Hod to die.” 

“So… he intends to use my power to destroy all the other sephiroth, to make the rest of the Outer Lands fall, as revenge for Hod?” Luke puzzled aloud, brow furrowed, “That doesn’t make any sense though; if all the land falls, he’d be destroying everything. There wouldn’t be any way for anything to survive, including him. His plan would involve killing _himself_ , ultimately.”

“Don’t confuse speculation or conjecture with fact,” Jade sighed as he rested his forearms against the table, steepling his fingers, “Here’s what we know for certain: Van Grants is an enemy, responsible for the fall of Akzeriuth. To orchestrate this, he made use of Luke’s hyperresonance. The Fon Master has also confirmed the God Generals, with the potential exception of Guy, have been meddling with the various Passage Rings around the world.”

“After the attack on the Tartarus, we already knew all the God Generals were our enemies,” Anise muttered.

“Yes,” Guy nodded, “All of them are working for Van to support his goals in one way or another. I don’t know how many of them actually know the details of his plans, though—I thought I was one of the closest to him, and I still didn’t know about any of this.”

“Maybe we can reason with them then, get them on our side,” Luke said, “I spent a little time with Arietta in the past, maybe I could—“

“Boo!” Anise slapped her hands down onto the conference table, “Boo! Boo! No way, why would you even _want_ to talk to that gloomy brat, anyways? She made her choice when she got demoted.”

“Anise, that’s not fair.” Ion frowned.

“And that is certainly a low priority,” Jade said, focusing his gaze on Luke, “As of now, we’re grasping at straws; we need more concrete information regarding Van’s mission and how to stop him. It would be far wiser to make use of our supposed deaths and figure out just _what_ Van’s goals are before announcing our survival to the world at large.”

“Agreed,” Ion said, before looking at Luke, “Luke, could you find something on him using the Score?”

“Possibly, but I have no idea where to start or how long it might take.”

“I might…” Guy said, wracking his memory for anything that could be useful, “I’ve overheard some of Van’s conversations with Dist; they talked about a research facility somewhere in Belkend.”

Luke exhaled sharply.

“Dammit… if it’s where I think it is, I’ll have trouble finding anything useful.”

“Huh? What do you mean?” Anise asked, tilting her head in curiosity, “Why would something’s location make finding information on it in the Score more difficult?”

“A few years ago a replica lab was built in the center of Belkend’s head research station, where my mother’s doctor has his office. Ever since the Score has become… Well, _‘warped’_ is the best word I can think of to describe it.”

Jade’s expression grew tight.

“Replicas aren’t _in_ the Score like everyone else,” Luke continued, “The area where they should be is just blank, like thin air. From what I’ve come to understand, if there’s a lot of them together, things around the replicas get… hazy, out of focus, and difficult to hear in the Score. If I try to concentrate on it for too long, I get a splitting headache that ends the trance.”

“Is that so…?” Ion said softly, his face pinched with concern.

“If Van’s office _is_ in that research lab, there’s no way I’d be able to confirm it with that much distortion and interference.” 

“We’ll just have to head there in person and poke around, then,” Guy said.

“If we’re going to Belkend,” Luke thought aloud as he twirled a lock of hair between his fingers, “We’re going to need to blend in. Half the Order of Lorelei and a Malkuth soldier trying to walk into a Kimlascan research facility is _bound_ to draw attention.”

“Fair point,” Guy chuckled as he glanced down at his uniform. Even if it was worse for wear and caked in mud and blood, it was still clearly recognizable.

Ion sat in quiet contemplation for a moment.

“Actually, I would like to return to Daath; I shudder to think what Mohs has done in mine and Luke’s absences. If I can bring the Order to heel, I can then coordinate with both Kimlasca and Malkuth in bringing Van to justice, and hopefully mitigate any of the blowback for what happened to Akzeriuth. King Ingobert was already eager for war as it was, and Akzeriuth’s destruction while Natalia was in the city would be the perfect catalyst.”

“That’s a huge risk,” Guy objected, “Mohs won’t give up his power easily. And with you and Luke gone for so long now, it’s more than likely he’s won even more support for the Maestro faction. You could be walking into a trap.”

“Yeah, and if the Commandant is at the Order like those crew guys on the boat said he is, that would ruin our whole element of surprise!” Anise added in.

“I understand the risks, but even so, I still have to do something,” Ion argued.

“You sound like the princess. Always making my job so difficult...” Anise muttered under her breath, “Um, anyways, I’ve been meaning to ask for a while now - how are we even going to get back to the surface? The Outer Lands are miles above us, and it’s not like we can fly.”

“There’s the Yulian Road,” Ion answered, “it’s a large scale fonic elevator that connects to Aramis Spring.”

“I can’t believe the Maestros taught you all this stuff but left me in the dark about it,” Luke crossed his arms and sighed heavily, “There’s also the question about what to do with Natalia and Tear. They were really hurt; should we leave them here?”

“I don’t see any other options, especially if we have to trek out of Aramis Spring on foot,” Guy said, “They’re in no condition to travel.”

"Eager to go rushing off, I see,” Jade said as he glanced between members of the assembled group, “I commend your youthful energy, but some of us need a little time after everything that occurred today. We should stay here for the evening, if the townspeople have the means to host us, and set out once we’ve rested and resupplied. Hopefully Tear and Natalia will have awoken by that time, and we can make a better assessment of their condition.”

"Luke, is there anywhere we can stay?" Anise asked, tugging on her brother's sleeve, "What if Van comes back and finds out we're here? Is it safe to stay the night?”

“I don’t know where he is or how fast he’d come back for me here,” Luke admitted. 

He could find out, of course, but… truth be told he was afraid. How would he even feel, seeing Van again? The man he once idolized was now a terrifying monster - one he couldn’t bring himself to face, even in the Score.

“But,” he said, “I’m sure the people of Yulia City would help keep us safe. They seem like they worship the very ground I walk on, so I doubt they’d allow any harm to come to me, and by extension my friends. And there’s bound to be facilities here we can use if we just ask them.”

“Just because the people of Yulia City wouldn’t allow Van to harm us doesn’t mean they wouldn’t tell him where we were,” Guy said darkly, “After all, Van’s a high-ranking member of the Order of Lorelei; even people who aren’t incredibly devout still extend him their trust and hospitality. For all they know, Van would be grateful to know that more people survived the collapse of Akzeriuth.”

“Regardless, we don’t have a better option,” Jade said, “Even if we wanted to make Tear and Natalia’s mistake and push ourselves past the point of exhaustion, we would still have to get from Aramis Spring to Daath Bay and board a ship to Port Belkend, then get from the port to Belkend itself. Making that journey now is foolhardy to the point of being suicidal; we should at least try and have a meal and some rest.”

“Ugh, yes, food,” Anise groaned as she rested her hands against her abdomen, “I’m so hungry I could die.”

“I don’t know _how_ you have an appetite after everything we’ve been through,” Guy commented with a shake of his head, “A shower sounds incredible though. I want to wash the Qliphoth off of me.”

“Yes, and personally I could use a stiff drink, if Yulia City has a bar,” Jade said.

“Might actually join you for that,” Guy laughed weakly.

"Not until you've showered. I've spent quite enough time in my life with companions who smell like a barnyard. Now, if our most gracious and holy Scion would look into making accommodations for us…?"

“Don’t. You _know_ how much I hate that,” Luke glared.

“Yet you’re openly boasting about abusing your position and status to get us things,” Jade countered. 

“Abusing my— _Excuse you?_ ” Luke scoffed, but he had no real energy to fight after everything today, “...whatever. I’ll go talk with Teodoro and see what can be done. Let’s talk again tomorrow after some rest.”

“Meeting adjourned,” Ion said with a nod.


	13. The Next Step

Everything was so quiet.

There was no birdsong, nor wind or running water to be heard; she couldn’t even make out the dull thrum of machinery or the rise and fall of muffled voices from another room. The stillness pressed down on her like a smothering hand. But if there had been no noise, no sudden bright light or movement, then why was she awake? 

Natalia tried to will herself back to sleep - or at least, what might pass for sleep now. The more she tried, however, the more her body seemed to protest. 

Everything hurt: her head felt cottony and throbbed with a dull ache while her nose and throat burned relentlessly. Something thin and cool lay draped across her arm, ending in a pinprick in the crook of her elbow, and the coarse sheets and blankets around her seemed to chafe with even the smallest movement.

This was not the afterlife she had anticipated. And there was no way Natalia was going to allow herself to put up with _this_ for all eternity. She was going to find whoever was in charge, and they were going to have _words_. Natalia hoped it would be Lorelei. There were quite a few things she would like to say to that sentient in particular.

Opening her eyes, Natalia saw nothing but an unending expanse of dull white. Panic flashed through her until she realized she was staring at the ceiling of a room. The lights had been dimmed almost entirely, but focusing her eyes a little more she could make out the tops of cabinets just on the edge of her view. Puzzling at the hereafter's design choice, she summoned her strength to push herself upright - silently cursing how weak and leaden her (surprisingly corporeal) body felt.

As she sat up, her eyes fell on a familiar shade of red at her bedside.

"Luke...?" she tried to wheeze.

The gentle rustle of bedsheets roused the Scion from a light doze, and he took a moment to rub his eyes before a look of relief spread across his face.

“Natalia!” he exclaimed, reaching out to take hold of her hands with his own, “Oh, thank Lorelei you’re alright. I was so worried the rescue may have been too late.”

He could see the confusion on her face. As she opened her mouth to try and talk, he leaned in to press his fingertip to her lips, shaking his head.

“Don’t speak. The doctors said your throat was burned pretty badly by the miasma. You _and,_ Tear,” Luke glanced over his shoulder to look at the still-sleeping woman in the bed opposite Natalia’s, “The doctors left some stationery and a pen for you, so you can still communicate while your throat heals.”

Natalia's brows furrowed as she tried to take in what Luke was saying. Slowly her muddled thoughts began to clear, and her confusion sharpened into grief.

_Akzeriuth, the miasma, the argument, Van, the fall... John…_

Blinking rapidly, she looked for the pen and paper Luke said had been provided for her.

“Here,” Luke grabbed the aforementioned items, setting the sheets of paper and a pen on Natalia’s bedside table next to a fonstone lamp, “I know you’re going to ask how I got away, how everything happened. It’s… a long story, though. Do you have the energy to hear it? Or would you rather I save it for when you’re feeling a bit stronger?”

Natalia pursed her lips for a moment. She couldn't deny that she was curious, but sating her curiosity would have to wait for now; Luke was safe and well, clearly, but she needed to know about Guy and Jade, and Anise and the Fon Master. She turned her attention to the pen and paper Luke had brought over, carefully moving close enough to use the table as a writing surface without disturbing the intravenous drip in her arm.

_'Where are the others?'_

Even scratching out a few words was slow going and exhausting. Her muscles were stiff and sluggish, and her thoughts kept turning to the peaceful allure of sleep.

_'Is everyone alright? What about Tear?’_

“Tear is right here,” Luke said as he moved out of the way, granting Natalia a view of the other hospital bed. The melodist was still fast asleep, although her broken arm was now properly bandaged and set in a splint that rested across her chest. Color had thankfully returned to her face, though it would be a while before either she or Natalia would be back to their normal selves.

“As for the others, they’re all safe. Everyone got patched up, and we’re all staying here to rest for the night.”

_‘I meant the extent of her injuries...'_

Though, Natalia supposed, if Tear was in the same room with her she must be equally injured. At least Tear was looking a lot better than she had when Natalia had last seen her.

“Right, of course you did,” Luke chuckled weakly as he rubbed at the back of his head, “Sorry, it’s been… stressful. Tear’s… doing better than she was. Guy got some stitches for that gash in his side, but he’s upright and walking already. Everyone else had minor scrapes and bruises that were taken care of with some healing artes.”

'Where is 'here'?’ Natalia asked next. The room around them could have been a hospital room just about anywhere, although it lacked any windows. She wracked her memory, and remembered something Tear has said - though the pain in her head doubled for her efforts.

_'Tear mentioned a city to the west. Is this it?’_

“That’s… part of the long story. You ready to hear it?”

Natalia nodded. No sense in putting it off, after all.

“Alright. Let me know if you need me to stop, okay?”

Perhaps she should have taken Luke's advice and waited a little longer to hear his story. By the time he had finished telling her everything, Natalia just wanted to close her eyes and sleep until this was all over.

 _'I'm sorry,'_ she wrote, her face growing hot with shame, _'If I had listened to you, none of this would have happened. But I listened to Van instead and now an entire city of people has been destroyed.'_

Tears dripped down onto the page, splattering the fresh ink in several spots. Natalia scrubbed at her eyes, her pride bristling with humiliation as a part of her demanded more. _She deserved this_ —those who did wrong had to be _punished_.

“H-hey...”

Luke reached out and rested his hand on hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Don’t. Believe me when I say there’s no point in kicking yourself; it won’t change the past. Besides, I… I didn’t give you much reason to listen to me. I never told you the full extent of things. I’d hoped I’d never _have to_. Clearly that was the wrong choice... All we can do now is try to fix things…”

Luke's easy forgiveness _should_ have been a relief, but Natalia's chest felt hollow. All the death laying at her feet, the destruction, the lies and betrayal… She didn't have much time to stew on her uneasiness as Luke let out a heavy sigh while his shoulders dropped.

“We’re uh… We’re planning on leaving soon to try and figure out what Van is up to. We have to leave you and Tear behind to recover to do so, though.”

Her first reaction was to frown upon hearing that, but after a chance to think about it, her expression softened. She couldn't fault him for leaving her behind—even she had to admit, she was in no condition to travel, let alone fight. And Tear would stay behind as well, so this wasn't Luke's way of getting back at her.

“I… I don’t _want_ to leave you here, but it’s possible Van is going to do something like this again and we _have_ to stop him. But… Dammit...” 

His voice grew tight as his hands started to shake.

“Natalia, I... I was so scared I’d lost you…”

Tears suddenly pricked at her vision. Her hand trapped by Luke's trembling one, Natalia blinked rapidly to try to clear her eyes.

“I-I’m… I’m sorry for yelling at you…” Luke continued as he bit his bottom lip, “I shouldn’t, I shouldn’t have done that. Ion and Guy both warned me, but I didn’t listen and I screamed at you in front of everyone and… when I think about how _that_ could have been it, that those were the last words we’d ever say to each other, I…”

His voice cracked as a couple tears spilled over and rolled down his cheeks. He pulled away, using his arm to wipe his face. 

“Sorry,” he mumbled, “I thought I’d gotten stronger, but… I still have a long way to go to catch up to you…”

Natalia shook her head, offering Luke a tired smile. She pulled up a fresh sheet of paper and dipped her pen back into the ink.

_'It's alright. I know it must have been stressful and frightening for you. I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have shouted at you. Or Anise.’_

A tickle at the back of her throat had Natalia attempting to clear it, but her efforts were futile, seeming to only make it worse. She began to cough, now unable to stop, and her chest felt too tight and heavy to permit her a full breath.

"Lu... Luke…!" she gasped between fits.

Her coughing sounded wet and deep, like her lungs were full of tarry miasma she couldn’t dislodge on her own. Luke leaned in, moving a hand around to her upper back before giving several firm pats between her shoulder blades. That did the trick, as the next time she coughed he could _hear_ her purge some of the offending miasma and phlegm from her airways.

Natalia took a handkerchief from a small basket on the table and coughed sharply into it several times. Remembering Luke’s reaction to the miner in Akzeriuth with the same cough, she quickly balled the handkerchief up - ignoring the unsettling purple tint within - and discarded it.

“Here,” Luke said as he moved to grab her a glass of water from her bedside table, “Drink this, it’ll help.”

He… he wasn’t disgusted with her? Even if she’d just coughed up what felt like half the Qliphoph in the most unladylike way? Natalia quietly accepted the glass, taking a small sip to ease the dryness in her throat and congestion in her chest.

 _'Thank you,'_ she wrote, although her breathing remained a little labored, _‘I'm alright now.’_

“I’m so glad,” Luke let out a small sigh. She still looked rough, but compared to before she was miles better. She and Tear would be in good hands until they could rejoin their group. Thinking about the melodist, Luke’s gaze drifted over toward her for a brief moment. Hopefully she’d wake up soon, too.

“Do… do you want me to bring you anything?” Luke asked as he looked back to Natalia, “A book? Something to eat? An extra blanket? I can leave, if you would rather be alone or want to go back to sleep.”

Natalia shook her head. 

_'Please don't leave,'_ she wrote, quickly adding: _'I know you'll have to soon enough. I just don't want to be alone right now.'_

She set the pen down and placed her hand on his arm. Her mind was racing with anxieties - what if Van returned to Yulia City? Was Luke going to come back, or were she and Tear supposed to find him? Where would they meet? What would they do if they couldn't find him?

“Hey, it’s okay,” he rested his hand atop her own, “I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay right here by your side—I promised you back on the ship Keterburg, didn’t I? Here, scoot over.”

Luke helped Natalia shift on the mattress, taking care with the bulky splint immobilizing her ankle. Once there was a bit of room he got up onto the bed with her, carefully pulling her in to snuggle against him.

“There we go… much better,” he sighed, laying his cheek against the crown of her head. He then took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers, spending a moment to relish in their closeness.

Her pale face brightened with a warm pink flush, her heart rate jumping up even as she squeezed Luke's hand and reached for pen and paper again. 

_'Thank you.’_

She doodled idly in the margins of the paper as she tried to collect her thoughts. Putting the finishing touches on an inky garland of flowers, she decided to start with the basics.

_'Are you coming back after this?’_

“Yeah, we should be,” Luke nodded after reading her question, “We haven’t fully finalized the details just yet, but Ion wants to go back to Daath. We agreed to talk more about it in the morning after we all get some rest. I know it’s not ideal that you have to stay behind, but at least this way you and Tear can focus on recovering. The doctors said that with a strict healing arte and physical therapy regimen, both your leg and her arm will be all healed up by the end of the week.”

 _Physical therapy?_ So they'd both injured themselves more than she expected. Natalia couldn't help but sigh; other than physical therapy, she and Tear were probably going to be forced to rest for most of the week. Sitting around for that long was seriously going to grate on her nerves.

_'Promise you'll come back as soon as you can. I'm worried about Van returning. We shouldn't stay longer than we need to.’_

Her eyes were growing heavy, but she forced herself to keep them open. She didn't know what time it was - Luke could leave any minute!

“I promise. I’ll also be sure to check up on you and make sure you’re resting. Don’t think that just because you can’t see or hear me doesn’t mean I’m not there watching over you through the Score. Now, come on, it’s almost midnight. You've got to get some sleep.”

Natalia wrinkled her nose before her face twitched into a small smile.

_'Just don't leave without letting me say goodbye. If you do, I'll have to come find you to give you a piece of my mind.’_

Luke let out a laugh that he quickly stifled, trying to be mindful of his volume for Tear’s sake. Instead he smiled at Natalia, giving her a firm nod as he raised his hand up and extended his pinky finger out to her.

“I will,” he said as they linked fingers.

—

Luke stayed with Natalia for another ten minutes, gently stroking her hair until he heard her breathing slow and felt her body go slack. Trying not to wake the sleeping princess, he extracted himself from the hospital bed to get some rest of his own. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

Taking a moment to straighten out his clothes, he heard the rustling of fabric from behind. He turned to see Tear sitting up in her bed with some difficulty due to her sling. Awkwardly, he gave her a slight wave.

“Hey, Tear,” Luke said softly, his cheeks flushing ever so slightly. 

He didn’t do anything wrong, so… why did he feel guilty and embarrassed being caught getting out of Natalia’s bed? Rem, and he thought he was getting better when it came to touching people.

“Sorry, did I wake you?”

“No,” Tear’s hoarse, gravely voice made him wince, “I’ve actually been up for a little while now—”

“You don’t need to strain your voice any further, there’s paper and—”

She shook her head.

“I’ll be fine, and this will be brief.”

“If you’re sure…” Luke didn’t look comfortable with her answer, but he wouldn’t press it if she insisted. “So… you were awake that whole time?”

“I... didn’t intend to eavesdrop, or spy on your conversation with Her Highness… I just wished to speak with you. Privately.” 

“Kind of hard to do in a shared hospital room,” Luke mused, “What about?”

“About us,” Tear said, and Luke’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Or, rather Her Highness’ perception of us. She’s… _very_ worried something is going on between you and I.”

“I—did she actually say that?”

"Hm. You really aren't very perceptive, are you?" she said, reaching to pour herself a glass of water. Difficult with only one arm, but she managed. She took several sips and suppressed a cough. "She's jealous of the attention you've paid me in the past. For a princess, she's really quite self-conscious.”

“ _For Sylph’s sake,_ I thought we were past this...” 

“It’s obvious where your affections lie,” Tear set her glass back down, “At least, it is to everyone but Her Highness. It’s almost... cute.”

She was never one to crave romance or long for a partner, but seeing the tender way Luke calmed Natalia down and lulled her to sleep had Tear briefly wishing someone would stroke her hair, too. Perhaps it wasn’t meant to be; it was one thing for someone to have such sweet feelings for a princess, but Tear was a soldier. Tenderness was not something she should ever come to expect.

“I’m glad you seem to think so. I really don’t know what else I can say or do to get through to her.”

“Keep doing what you’re doing. She’ll get it eventually,” Tear smiled at him, “And I wanted to say that I’m sorry.”

That caught Luke off guard.

“For what?”

“For doubting you. You were telling me the truth about hearing my fonon frequency, weren’t you?”

“Yeah,” Luke nodded.

“Is that how you were able to find us and send help?”

“Something like that,” Luke said as he glanced over to Natalia’s sleeping form, “I just listened for my favorite song and I found myself by her side.”

Tear sighed and shook her head. These two were like something out of a romance novel - if only _they_ could see that as clearly as everyone else.

"I'll try to keep her out of trouble until you return," she said, "Thankfully, there isn't much to do in Yulia City, as I'm sure you've discovered by now."

Luke snickered in agreement. It was true, Yulia City was _tiny_ with perhaps a population of a couple hundred at the most. There wasn’t exactly much of anything, save for the terrifying shade of purple outside of every window. How these people were so calm when they were living in literal hell was _beyond_ him.

“Thanks, Tear. I hope you and Natalia get well soon,” he said with a gentle wave before leaving the hospital for the night.

—

While it’d been a bit difficult to keep his bandages from getting wet, that had to have been the _best_ shower Guy ever had _in his life._ The water running off of him had been opaque for an uncomfortable amount of time, and it took several rounds of scrubbing to get all that blood and gunk off of him. It was worth the effort as his skin no longer itched under the layers of grime. What’s more, there were fresh clothes awaiting him. Even if they were plain and clearly second-hand, pulling on a fresh shirt and trousers felt hedonistically decadent compared to his torn and filthy uniform.

After the events of the day, he’d half-expected to fall into bed as soon as he’d stepped out of the shower, but instead he felt jittery. Even sitting down long enough to pull his boots on was a challenge. Roughly scratching at his hair and trying to just breathe, Guy left his guest room in search of Jade and the stiff drink he’d mentioned earlier.

Unfortunately, there was no bar for them to wallow at. Hell, there wasn’t much by way of shops, either, and given how late it was getting, he doubted whatever slim options they had were still open.

He found Jade on the outskirts of the city proper. The colonel was seated near a large window that offered an uncanny view of the wasteland outside. What caught his eye, however, was the large bottle in his hand.

“And here I thought I’d have to steal some of the rubbing alcohol from the hospital if I wanted a drink in this place,” Guy said as he took a seat next to Jade.

“I know you’re joking but I feel compelled to warn you that is a fantastic way to blind yourself at the very least.”

“Aw, you do care.”

“Press me further and I shan’t share,” Jade warned.

“Where’d you get that, anyways?” Guy watched as Jade refilled a crystal tumbler and drained about a quarter of it with one swallow.

“A gift from the mayor. Luke was right; all I had to do was ask.”

Guy continued to watch Jade for a few moments longer. The colonel drained his glass and refilled it with practiced ease. 

“Hey… are you alright?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Jade raised a brow.

“Oh, I don’t know. Today - or maybe yesterday, now - was… not a great day.”

“To put it mildly.” 

Jade drained and refilled his glass again before setting the bottle down. Guy seized his opportunity, since Jade had yet to offer, drinking straight from the bottle for want of a second glass. The alcohol burned his throat all the way down, causing him to cough and sputter. 

“Don’t inhale it—“

“I didn’t,” Guy wheezed, “Look, that entire time we were out there, you never once showed any sort of panic, or even fear. You kept a cool head and… well, thank you. I’m not sure what I would have done if you started to freak out too.”

At that, Jade turned his full attention on Guy. The blond took another long pull from the bottle, letting the burn of the alcohol distract him from the intensity of the colonel's gaze. 

"Most people aren't particularly grateful for my coldness," Jade said at last, "Even when it is to their benefit. As you said, allowing myself to show signs of panic or distress would only have made things worse; there was nothing to be gained from becoming hysterical. Besides, I can't help but feel a certain... responsibility for you lot. Perhaps I'm growing soft in my old age.”

“Maybe,” Guy chuckled, “Or you’re just following His Majesty’s orders. Either way… I know I haven’t been the most receptive to your presence here, so… I’m glad you were with us.”

Jade remained silent for a few moments.

“If you’re trying to sweet talk your way out of my suspicions—“

Guy snorted and shook his head, drawing his knees towards his chest as he stared out the large window.

“Yeah well… I doubt I’m even a God General anymore.” 

Not that he still wanted to be one. If his rank meant being a traitor like Van, he didn’t want anything to do with it.

"Considering Van has likely reported you as dead, that's quite possible," Jade said, heaving a dramatic sigh, "I'm not looking forward to all the paperwork that's to come of having to reverse my status as ‘deceased'."

"Well, you can put it off for a while longer; we still have to figure out what's going on in Belkend." 

"Indeed. And speaking of Belkend, I do find it rather amusing that Van - for all his plots of revenge - has set up a base of operations in the heart of a territory governed by one Duke Fabre.”

Guy's jaw tensed, and Jade used the opportunity to retrieve his bottle of liquor.

"Luke doesn't know, does he?”

“….No,” Guy shook his head, “You heard him earlier - he said he had no idea.”

“And here I thought Luke was supposed to be omniscient,” Jade said, taking another long drink from his glass. 

“Look, I know you’re a skeptic, but lay off him,” Guy sighed, “I don’t think that... I don’t think the details of the war were simply an oversight in his education. I know I need to tell him, or… Rem, I don’t know…”

He ran his fingers through his hair, playing out the scenario in his mind and coming up with the same results every time.

“If he goes back to that moment and _sees_ what I saw, what I went through, what his father did… How the hell do you tell your best friend that you wanted them dead for years?”

“I’m afraid I can’t help you there,” Jade handed the bottle directly to Guy, who eagerly took another drink, “Though the saying goes, ‘honesty is the best policy’.”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“If you don’t mind my asking,” Jade started, and Guy turned to look at him, “What changed?”

Guy glanced down to the bottle and smiled bittersweetly. 

“Heh. It sounds dumb, but... he gave me his birthday cookies as a kid.”

“That’s…”

“At that moment I realized he was nothing like his father,” Guy continued, “He was sweet, he was kind, he was generous… He offered me compassion when no one else did. That… changed everything. After his first hyperresonance, when he killed that poor girl… I knew he needed me, so I stayed.”

The colonel hummed in acknowledgement, but added no other comment as he kept his gaze focused on Guy. After a few moments, he gave a small shrug. 

"You understand I won't simply be taking your word for it, nor Luke's," he said, "It's nothing personal; I'm afraid to say one doesn't get to be my age without questioning the motives of those around you." 

"You're not even forty," Guy frowned. 

"Oh, but I'm an old soul," Jade quipped in return, "Now, off to bed with you, or you'll be in a frightfully bad mood tomorrow.”

“And since you’re back to your patronizing self, I take it that means you’re alright,” Guy said before he took one last drink from the bottle and set it back down between them, “Glad I don’t have to worry about you anymore.”

“What a sad state of affairs, that I have young folk such as yourself worrying about me,” Jade sighed and Guy rolled his eyes.

“ _Goodnight,_ Jade.” 

—

That night had been unforgivably long.

For a select lucky few, sleep came like a welcome escape—dreamless and quiet. For the others, sleep eluded their best efforts, and despite their heavy eyes and aching bodies, a restlessness chewed at the backs of their minds. Even if by some chance they were able to drift off, nightmares and echoes of Akzeriuth haunted their dreams until _finally_ morning came.

Being so deep underground and surrounded by constant storms, Yulia City itself received no sunlight. Instead, the entire city had fonstone lights set to act as an artificial sun throughout the day.

When the lights came on, Luke groaned and rested his forearm against his eyes. He was of the restless, no-sleep camp, and he was _exhausted._ Travel from Aramis Spring to Daath Bay was _not_ going to be any fun.

He laid in bed motionless, drained and irritated for a good long while, not wanting to get up and face the day ahead. Eventually, a knock on his door startled him, and he sat upright.

“Yes?”

Guy opened his door and stepped inside.

“You look like hell,” he said, “Didn’t get much sleep?”

“Nope,” Luke mumbled as he pulled himself up and out of bed, “I’ll try to sleep some more on the ferry. Are we heading out soon?”

“Yeah,” Guy said, tossing a bundle of clothing at Luke, “Teodoro had some new clothes ready for us, and once we’re all dressed and geared up, we can head out.”

“Wait, was a plan finalized?” Luke asked and Guy sighed, nodding slowly.

“Despite our warnings, Ion is dead set on the Order, so....”

Luke clicked his tongue, “Dammit. Alright, well… if we actually are splitting up, we’re coming back here to regroup, right?”

“Yeah, Ion said at the end of the week. Jade… wasn’t as optimistic, but agreed to it.”

The two shared a look at that. Certainly, Ion held immense power and rank within the Order of Lorelei, but that would only carry him so far when he was up against not only Van and the remaining five God Generals, but also Mohs and the entirety of the Maestro faction.

Luke couldn’t shake the foreboding feeling hanging over him. He _wanted_ to have faith in Ion’s capabilities, and believe that through some miracle he really _would_ be able to bring the Order into line. But, he knew _intimately_ well that at the end of the day, ‘power’ and ‘rank’ were meaningless in Daath.

But… if Ion kept the whole of the Order distracted with his return, there would be fewer eyes on Belkend. It wasn’t much of a silver lining, but Luke would take what they could get.

“I promised I’d stop by the hospital and say goodbye to Natalia before we left,” Luke said as he looked his new garments over. Plain, but that was the point. At least his new overcoat had a hood to hide his red hair.

“Well, hurry up and get dressed, then. We’re all meeting at the center plaza before we take the Yulian Road.”

—

In the hospital room, Tear was already well awake by the time the fonstone lights illuminated the city with false day. Natalia, however, looked like she was keeping her eyes open by sheer force of will.

"You should rest," Tear encouraged the princess.

Natalia shook her head and splashed some cool water on her face from the basin at her bedside. With no mirror, making herself presentable wasn't an easy task, but she could at least comb her hair and smooth the sheets and blankets around her before Luke arrived.

“I don’t think His Holiness will care if your face is unwashed or your hair is unkempt,” Tear tried to reassure her, but the princess carried on with her preening.

How strange, Tear thought as she pondered what kind of upbringing Natalia had. To focus on _appearance_ of all things after going through such a catastrophe…

Her train of thought was interrupted by a light knock on their door, followed by Luke poking his head in.

“Good morning,” he said softly as he glanced around, seeing both girls awake. Ah good, he wasn’t disturbing them. He pushed the door open and stepped inside.

“Good morning,” Tear said, her voice already sounding better compared to the previous night, “Are you… alright? You look a bit unwell yourself.”

“I’m fine, just tired,” Luke scrubbed at his face for a moment.

"G- " Natalia started, but the sound was strangled and painful. Luke turned to her, his face full of concern as he started to remind her to rest her voice and found the princess already scrambling for her pen and paper. 

Her face felt hot as she took up the stationery; it was stupid to think that her voice might be recovered already, stupid to be upset over something so small when they had far more important issues to be concerned about…

 _'Good morning, Luke,'_ she quickly wrote, _'Are you leaving already?’_

“Yeah, we’re all heading off soon,” Luke said, “But I promised to stop by before we left, didn’t I? If all goes according to plan, we should be back here by the end of the week with information on Van’s schemes.”

He _really_ hoped that Guy’s lead would turn something up—otherwise they would have wasted a whole week and put Anise and Ion at risk for nothing.

“Please, all of you be safe,” Tear urged, “My brother, he… I never thought he’d be capable of such cruel and despicable things. Who knows what else he might do.”

“Thanks, Tear,” Luke flashed her an appreciative smile before he made his way to Natalia’s bedside. He then leaned in to give her a hug, followed by a quick kiss that left him buzzing. The color in Natalia's face deepened at Luke's boldness, and at the way she briefly leaned in for more before she could stop herself.

 _“Rest._ That’s an order, got it?” Luke said.

 _'Bossy,'_ Natalia scribbled, underlining the word for emphasis before adding: _'I don't think I'll have much say in the matter, anyways.'_

Reaching the end of the paper filled with scribblings from the night before, Natalia found a new sheet and continued on. 

_'You promised to come back, remember. So take care of yourself,'_ she noted as her face turned even more pink, _'I’ve been thinking, and I think I want the thing you talked about in Grand Chokmah. I want that life with you, Luke. I—’_

She hesitated for a moment, her hand trembling as her pulse raced.

_‘—I love you.’_

Did his heart just skip a beat? Something in Luke’s chest fluttered and a small jolt of excitement shot through him. He was still tired but, somehow, he felt a little more energetic than before, and he couldn’t stop a grin from spreading across his face.

Natalia had accepted his confession—his proposal.

Were they dating now? Was it safe to call her his girlfriend, or perhaps fiancée was more appropriate? He was supposed to give her a ring, wasn’t he? But he didn’t have nearly enough gald...

He had to reel himself in before he got too carried away with giddy thoughts. Stopping Van was the priority, and the others were waiting on him.

“I love you, too,” he finally said, leaning down for another kiss before waving his goodbyes to her and Tear before heading off to join the others.

Luke's happiness was contagious, and Natalia tried to hold onto it for as long as possible after he left, but admitting her feelings only made Luke’s departure more difficult. She thought she'd be able to bear Luke's leaving her behind - he'd only be gone for a week, and they'd spent much more time than that apart for most of their lives - but now Natalia's chest ached in a way that had nothing to do with the miasma she'd inhaled.

“And to think you were worried,” Tear chuckled.

_‘This has been the most I've seen Luke in my entire life,' she pointed out to Tear, 'Before now, it was easy to wonder what he did when I wasn’t around. Especially when my uncle—’_

Catching herself, Natalia shook her head. Tear may be a trustworthy companion, but there was no need to spread the family shame.

_‘Nevermind. I had my reasons to be suspicious, even if they were silly in hindsight. It’s easy to think the worst when you go months without seeing a person.’_

Right—Tear remembered how big of a deal it was whenever the royal family would visit the cathedral, and the visits themselves never lasted for more than a week. Emotions always ran high before, during, and after the visits, and the months in between could effortlessly twist those feelings into something much darker.

“You’re right, I’m sorry; I spoke carelessly,” she conceded with a bow of her head. Yet, despite her slight misstep, Tear felt the dynamic between the two of them shift. 

Perhaps, Tear thought, she might make a friend.

—

“There you are!” Anise huffed as Luke jogged towards the assembled group, “I was wondering if you were going to spend all morning in the hospital.”

“It’s too early for you to be giving me any grief,” Luke said with a yawn, “And you know I had to check on Natalia and Tear before we could leave.”

“How are they?” Ion asked.

“A lot better than before,” Luke happily reported, “Natalia’s voice is still gone, but she seemed much better rested, and Tear’s voice is already starting to come back.”

"That's good," Ion nodded, "They're both strong; I hope they're fully recovered soon.”

"What about you, Ion, are you feeling alright?" Anise asked, "You were traveling with Natalia and Tear for days before we found you - are you sure you don't need to rest more?”

"I'm fine, Anise. Tear and Natalia were very kind to me and made sure I got plenty of rest," Ion smiled, "For a while, it seemed like the one thing they were both able to agree on. Besides, Aramis Spring isn't far from Daath.”

"Well, if you're sure..." Anise said, "Just tell me as soon as you start feeling tired, ok?”

“I will.”

Guy crossed his arms and frowned. Ion seemed to think returning to Daath and bringing the Order to heel would be a walk in the park, which was an impressive level of optimism, but...

“I still say you should come with us to Belkend—“

“I’m returning to Daath, Guy,” Ion stated firmly, “This is what I need to do. Besides, I trust you, Luke, and Colonel Curtiss will be able to uncover something without me tagging along.”

“Just - just be careful, okay?” Guy insisted, “The moment you think you might be in danger, get out, get away, come back here and stay with the girls. Your safety is too important.”

“Alright,” the Fon Master nodded.

“Well, now that that’s settled, shall we be off?” Jade asked.

Ion directed the group to a small room within the center of the city, and Luke recognized the familiar hum of a fonic elevator. The glyph was different from the one in the cathedral, and large enough to cover almost the entire floor. 

One by one they all stepped onto the glyph, and a bright, blinding light enveloped them.

—

When the light faded, a gushing stream surrounded them - Aramis Spring was aptly named indeed. Seeing the rushing water all around them, Luke let out a startled yelp and staggered backwards.

“—I can’t swim!”

“It’s alright, the force of fonons is keeping us dry,” Ion assured him as he easily stepped out of the water and onto dry land, “You won’t get pulled under.”

“Whoa, you’re right!” Anise said as she raised her leg and patted it, finding no water soaking her shoes or stockings.

Guy clapped his hand on Luke's shoulder, giving the redhead an encouraging smile as he ushered him to the stream's shore. 

"Remind me to give you some swimming lessons once this is all over," he said, kicking himself for not taking the chance while they were spending time in Grand Chokmah - it certainly would have been a good way to get the kid some exercise.

"Come along now, children. There will be time for field trips later," Jade said, stepping out of the stream as though there were nothing strange about it at all, "We've a theocracy to keep in check, a madman to investigate, and a war to prevent; no dawdling.”

They began to make their way through the winding caves of Aramis Spring, finding the area _crawling_ with monsters. A merfish caught sight of them, and Luke began to unsheathe his sword just as the creature raised its giant fish hook into the air with a guttural cry before charging. Luke dodged, fumbling to pull his blade free while Guy rushed past to advance on the monster. The former God General made quick work of the merfish - finishing the kill just as Luke managed to draw his blade. 

“You alright?” Guy asked, checking the fallen creature for any useful items. 

“I _had_ it,” Luke huffed.

“You’ve gotta be careful, you still haven’t participated in a real battle—”

“Because you won’t _let_ me!” Luke argued as he stuffed his sword back in its sheath, “What was the point in teaching me anything if you won’t let me use it?”

"Luke—" Guy started, feeling the back of his neck prickle as the Scion called him out.

"He'll hardly learn if you continue coddling him, Guy," Jade said, looking over the edge of his glasses at the pair. The lenses flashed in the dim light of the caves, "Though, considering we've lost our gels and both of our healers for the time being, I do hope Luke knows a few healing artes, or we may find ourselves in a difficult situation.”

“Yes, I know how to heal,” Luke said, though whether or not he could _bring_ himself to use those healing artes was another question.

“Very good. Might I suggest you fall back and act as our healer for the time being, then?” Jade said as Luke frowned, “At least until we’re out of the spring—”

Luke’s eyes widened and he withdrew his blade again, stepping past Jade to swing at a water bat that had come too close. He cleaved it in half, the monster falling to the ground with two wet thumps.

“I’m _going_ to fight,” Luke asserted.

"...Very well, then," Jade said tersely, "Let's get a move on.”

"C'mon, Luke!" Anise said, tugging on her brother's coat, "Walk up here with me and Ion; we're going to have to split up pretty soon, and I _never_ get to see you!”

—

It took over an hour to reach the exit of Aramis Spring, having cut through what felt like an endless number of monsters. The early morning sunlight felt blinding after spending so long underground, but the fresh air was a welcomed change of pace.

Once they found the main road, it was time to say their goodbyes and go their separate ways. Anise hugged onto Luke tightly, not wanting to let go of her brother just yet, but he reassured her they’d see one another again in just a week. When she at last loosened her grip, he pulled up his hood, patted her on the head, and set off towards Daath Bay with Jade and Guy.

Anise watched as the three of them slowly grew smaller as they made their way towards the port. Despite her big brother’s words, she knew things couldn’t be as simple as Luke made them out to be. But that was her job, wasn’t it - to make things difficult for her brother?

“Come,” Ion said, gesturing for Anise to follow, “We have work to do.”

Anise took in a slow breath.

“…Right.”

—

Oracle Knights swarmed Anise and the Fon Master upon arrival at the cathedral, their voices all clamoring against one another in a cacophony of questions, praises, and prayers. Immediately they were escorted inside the tall building, and Anise glanced around nervously for any signs of the Commandant.

“Ion—!”

Arietta dropped her plush toy to the ground and rushed him, only for Anise to block her path with a frown on her face and her hands on her hips.

“Go away, Gloomietta!” Anise shooed, sticking her tongue out.

“Move, Anise! The Commandant told everyone Ion had died! I need to see if Ion’s ok!”

"Yeah, well, The Commandant was wrong," Anise said, and a murmur went through the crowd, "Me and Ion are alive; just shows you he's safer with me than he was with you. Didn't you get attacked at Emperor Peony's coronation? And then Cato had to step in and save you!”

"Shut up!"

"Arietta, it's alright," Ion said, stepping forward only to be stopped by Anise.

"Ion, don't worry about a gloomy brat like _her,_ " the young guardian huffed, "C'mon; it's been a long couple of days. You need to rest." 

"You can't take Ion away from me!" Arietta insisted, stamping her foot, "We were all so worried - you can't just show up alive and take him away just like that!"

The bickering rapidly devolved into idle threats as the crowd around them grew, eager to see both if Ion really _had_ returned, and to get front row seats for the catfight. Just as it looked like the claws might actually come out, Grand Maestro Mohs’ voice could be heard from the edge of the crowd.

“What is the _meaning_ of this?!” he bellowed as he shoved his way through to the center, finding Ion trapped between the two girls.

“F-Fon Master—?! You’re alive?!”

“Mohs, just who I wanted to speak with,” Ion said, loud enough to distract Anise and Arietta from each other.

“H-how—? We’d received word you’d perished along with the Scion at Akzeriuth,” Mohs said before quickly looking around. Luke couldn’t possibly still be alive, could he?

“That is a matter to be discussed in private,” Ion said.

Mohs frowned at the Fon Master’s stubbornness. Glancing about, he scowled to see all of the other Order members still gathered. 

“Scatter! All of you! Back to work!”

The crowd quickly dispersed, although Anise and Arietta hardly seemed to notice; they were no longer throwing insults and accusations, but the glares they exchanged could cut glass.

"Arietta," Moh snapped, "Go back to your duties, now!”

"But Ion—”

"Dealings with the Fon Master no longer concern you. Now go.”

With one last wistful glance at Ion, Arietta shuffled off. Anise wished she could exhale a sigh of relief, but Mohs would never let her breathe easily.

"Grand Maestro, Ion is tired and needs to rest," she insisted, wishing she could fall into her own comfortable bed with its patchwork quilt and collection of stuffed animals her Mama had made all for her.

"Oh, of course," the Grand Maestro said, his smile making the hairs on the back of Anise's neck stand up, "Fon Master Ion, shall we retire to somewhere more comfortable - and private?”

“Yes. We have much to discuss, Mohs.”

“Very good. Oh, and Anise,” Mohs said as he fixed his cold gaze on the girl, “Don’t wander off too far. We’ll be speaking next, and I’m sure you have _so much_ to tell me about since last we spoke.”

—

It didn’t take long before all of Daath heard the rumor that the Fon Master was still alive, but Legretta could hardly believe it. The Commandant himself had returned from the operation at Akzeriuth, reporting his success, but at the cost of the Fon Master, Cato, and Mystearica. He’d even complained a great deal about sourcing enough fonimin to create another replica.

Hurrying to the entry hall of the cathedral, Legretta stayed at the edges of the crowd - just close enough to see the replica Fon Master was indeed alive without being seen herself. This shouldn’t have been possible.

Van would need to know, and Legretta needed to be the one to tell him.

—

“—Forgive the intrusion, Commandant.”

Van frowned as Legretta opened the door to Van’s study and let herself in. 

“This had better be important.”

“Of course,” Legretta assured as she stepped past Dist - who looked entirely too amused - towards Van’s desk, “The Fon Master has returned.”

“...You’re certain?” Van asked.

“Yes. I saw Ioanian Sergeant Tatlin arrive with the Fon Master myself. Mohs is currently speaking with him.”

“Well, there you have it, Commandant,” Dist said, rising from his seat, “If the Fon Master survived, then my _genius_ is no longer needed here, and I can return to my work without distraction. I’ll be on my way.”

Van’s expression soured as soon as the door closed behind Dist’s retreating form.

“If the Fon Master and his guardian are here, it’s safe to say Cato and the others survived as well,” Legretta said as she crossed her arms.

“It also means Luke isn’t in Yulia City anymore. That stupid old man…” Van spat bitterly under his breath, his hands clenching into tight fists.

“Sir?"

"It's nothing. Never mind.”

Van took a breath and focused on regaining his composure. Rolling his broad shoulders, his hands unclenched and his expression softened. 

"Legretta; head to Yulia City," he instructed, "Find out how many survived Akzeriuth's fall, and see if you can find where Luke has gone. If any of his companions are still in Yulia City, I want them brought back to Daath - alive.”

"Sir!" Legretta said with a sharp salute.

"Good. Dismissed.”

After Legretta left, Van drummed his fingers against the top of his desk, his thoughts racing in every direction as he tried to recalculate his already-altered plans. He refused to allow himself to feel nervous, but there was too much hanging in the balance to wait on Legretta’s report. He’d thought he’d left nothing to chance, but Luke and his companions clearly warranted more thorough consideration.

Recovering Luke was the top priority—everything hinged on his power. Cato was a loss, given his attachment to the Scion, which was unfortunate. Van had hoped to show him the full glory of his plans. The Fon Master’s survival and his _stupidity_ in returning to the Order was a boon; now the excursion to retrieve new fonimin could be scrapped…

His thoughts stilled as he considered his younger sister. They were enemies now, without question, but he still felt relieved, grateful, even... proud. Certainly Mystearica was the reason the rest had survived the fall. She was a gentle soul. Perhaps, in time, he could bring her around again. However, there were more pressing matters immediately at hand.

Van sent word for Sync and Largo. The two God Generals stood side by side, Sync looking comically waifish beside the towering Black Lion.

“You summoned, Commandant?” Largo asked.

“There’s been a change of plans,” Van started as he stood up from his desk.

“Again?” Sync asked.

“The Scion is no longer in our possession. I’ve dispatched Legretta to scout Yulia City, but it’s doubtful he’s still there. Sync, I want you to canvas Daath Bay; it’s the only way for him off this island. If he’s already gone, find out where and follow him. Subdue him and bring him back at _any_ cost.”

Sync scoffed.

“How am I supposed to sneak up on him? Isn’t he clairvoyant?”

“I assure you, he won’t be able to see you coming.”

“Oh?” Sync laughed, “Well, I’m sure I’ll figure something out, then.”

“Am I to assist?” Largo asked, and Van shook his head.

“No. The Fon Master has returned, and there’s still passage rings to be opened. See to it they’re ready by the time I have the Scion back in my possession.”

“That idiot actually survived Akzeriuth? Color me impressed,” Sync muttered under his breath. He didn’t give a damn about his ‘sibling’, but he could appreciate that tenacious will to survive. Thoughts of Mt. Zaleho’s heat briefly flitted through his mind, and Sync tried not to shiver.

“Are there any specific passage rings that need to be opened first?” Largo asked.

Van pulled out a large map from one of his drawers and smoothed it out over his desk. His fingers traced unseen lines over the hills and plans of Auldrant as he studied various marked locations and scribbled notes along the outer edges.

“With Akzeriuth taken care of, I’ll head to Shurrey Hill,” Van mused as he stroked his beard, “That will disrupt the support system for the battlefield and drop both armies when the war starts. Destabilizing St. Binah and Envege is merely a bonus. What remains is… Largo, take the Fon Master to the Zao Ruins, then come back via the Meggiora Highlands. By the time you return, the Scion will be in our possession again.”

“Understood, sir.”

Dismissed, Largo set off to collect the Fon Master and Sync grinned wickedly from underneath his mask as he made his way towards Daath Bay.

At _any_ cost? Well, this was going to be _fun._

—

All throughout Aramis Spring Legretta found plenty of slain monsters, and each kill was fresh. It was doubtful any of the Scion’s companions remained in Yulia City, but she could hardly disobey Van’s direct orders. She let out a short sigh as the lights to the Yulian Road died down and made her way to Teodoro’s office. 

"God General Legretta, it is good to see you again," the mayor said, "I take it you are here on General Grants' behalf?”

"I am," Legretta said, "He informed me about what happened at Akzeriuth. He regrets that he had to leave so suddenly, and sends his apologies for asking you to shelter the Scion with so little warning." 

"Please, tell him that there is no need to apologize," Teodoro said, "We were honored to have His Holiness in our city.”

Legretta's eyebrows arched.

"' _Were honored_ '?" she echoed, feigning surprise, "You make it sound as though His Holiness has left Yulia city.”

"Oh, yes, nearly a day ago," Teodoro said, "Along with God General Cato, Colonel Jade Curtiss of the Malkuth Army, Fon Master Ion, and Anise Tatlin; they survived Akzeriuth's fall, and His Holiness guided us to their rescue." 

"...and what of General Grants' sister, Mystearica?”

"Mystearica survived as well, thank Yulia," Teodoro smiled, "It is my assumption that it was her abilities that protected the others. Her Highness, Princess Natalia of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear also survived, although she and Mystearica were substantially injured. His Holiness left them behind so that they could heal before rejoining him.”

“Injured?”

For a moment, Legretta lost her composure, and she was left internally reeling as all sorts of thoughts about what _kind_ of injuries she had and how bad they were. 

“Where are they?”

Teodoro guided Legretta to the city’s hospital, where a helpful doctor confirmed that yes, both girls were currently patients, and _yes_ , they were currently resting, so please, no visitors. For the best, Legretta thought. A direct conflict would only further complicate Van’s plans.

“Are they alright?” she asked the doctor.

"Princess Natalia has a badly broken ankle, and Tear's arm is fractured," the doctor reported, "But thankfully that was the worst of their external injuries; given time and proper treatment they'll heal just fine. When they arrived, they were both suffering from extreme exhaustion and dehydration, but that's easily fixed with rest and fluids. No, our primary concern, once we had them stabilized, was their voices and the miasma sickness.”

"Their voices?" 

"They’d both inhaled a large amount of miasma. That, combined with their dehydration and a few other factors only compounded the damage done to their airways and larynxes," the doctor nodded, "Tear is still capable of some speech, even if it is strained, but Princess Natalia lost her voice. They're both on strict orders to rest as much as possible. With time and care, the damage should be reversed.”

“…I understand, thank you,” Legretta said.

“There, you see? It is as I’ve said,” Teodoro smiled gently as he brought his hands around behind his back. 

“Yes,” Legretta nodded, “Van will be relieved to hear Tear is alright, and I’m sure the Kimlascan royal family will feel the same way about Princess Natalia’s safety. I will return to Daath and update Van on the girls’ conditions.”

“You’re not going to stay?” Teodoro asked.

“I have orders to report back to the Commandant immediately, and I don’t wish to distract from Tear or Her Highness’s recovery. Do you know when that will be?” she directed her question to the doctor.

“They should both be healed by the end of the week.” 

“Then I will return at that time and escort them back to Daath myself,” Legretta said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave.”

As she made her way back to the Yulian road, Legretta couldn’t believe her good fortune. The Scion may have slipped from Van’s grasp, but now she had the _perfect_ way to lure him directly back to Van. All she needed was a few Oracle Knights and a little patience.

There was only one way out of Yulia City, after all.


	14. Uncovering Truths

_ND 2018, Ifrit Decan_

Belkend hadn’t changed all that much in Luke’s eyes since the last time he’d seen it. The mechanical city was as pristine and clean as always, its cogs and gears spinning while the busy populace hurried from one place to another. The only immediate differences he could see were a small handful of new shops, and there was an expansion to the local park for the children to play in. Beyond that, it felt the same as always as he walked amongst the streets.

Even with his hood on to eclipse his hair color, Luke felt far too vulnerable as he led Guy and Jade further into the city. This place may be his father’s territory, but that fact brought him little comfort as he wended his way through the crowd. Being here in person was very different than being here through the Score—people can and will notice him if he’s not careful.

Brief memories flashed through his mind; the carriage ride out of Daath, the sailors on the ship, the soldiers on Grand Chokmah’s docks. He remembered the reverence, the awe, the looks, the prayers, praise, and pleas, with a grimace. 

Tugging down on his hood, Luke turned a tight corner around a building, ducking off the main road into a narrow alleyway. It may not be the most direct path to their destination, but right now he was not willing to take any chances.

Down the alleyway, up a staircase, and across a bridge, the more industrialized section of the city came into view. Warehouses and factories filled the area, and Guy whistled as the research facility they’d been searching for came into view.

“I’m impressed; you really do know your way around this city,” he said.

“How are we to get inside without arousing suspicions?” Jade asked, nodding his head towards a group of men working in the area. They all wore distinct coveralls, jumpsuits, and coats, making them easy to identify. Compared to that, the trio’s borrowed traveling clothes from Yulia City, which were plain by design, made them stick out by contrast.

“We’ll be fine until we try to go past the medical wing,” Luke explained, recalling the confusing, maze-like layout of the building, “But there are other ways to get into the restricted areas where Van’s likely set something up.”

“Well then, by all means lead the way,” Jade said, raising a brow at Luke’s confidence in his own stealth capabilities. Granted, he did sneak himself and the princess out of Daath to Grand Chokmah. Perhaps he was judging the boy too harshly.

The three of them stepped inside the research facility, the air pungent with the smells of chemicals, alcohol, and medicine. Fontech lined the walls, the machines emitting steady humming, rapid beeping, and erratic clicking. Researchers and engineers remained glued to their machines, twisting knobs, pressing buttons, and reading over printed charts to assess data. Hardly anyone paid them any mind, too absorbed with their tasks to actually notice, which had Luke breathing a little easier. Still, he couldn’t lower his guard, they weren’t in a restricted section just yet.

Luke was able to navigate Guy and Jade further into the building with ease, passing through a series of identical rooms and hallways separated by automatic doors. After yet another automatic door shut behind them, they stepped into an empty room, filled only with more doors on each wall.

“To the right and back a few rooms is Dr. Shuu’s office. To the left should be the replication lab,” Luke explained.

“What about up ahead?” Jade gestured to the remaining doorway in front of them.

“It was an empty storage room. Hardly anyone comes back here since all the main labs are near the front of the building.”

"It's worth assuming that's where Van would have set up something," Guy muttered, "An empty room this far back would be prime real estate for him.”

"Let's not linger out here, then. We’ve been fortunate so far but we needn’t overstay our welcome.” Jade brushed past them for the door.

Luke and Guy followed into what appeared to be a small library. Rows of bookshelves protruded from the walls, and a large wooden desk surrounded by cabinets stood out in the center. It was an office alright, but nothing immediately labeled it as Van's.

“So much for an empty storage room.” Jade cupped his chin. 

"What are we even looking for?" Luke asked as he glanced around the desk. No paperwork on the desk itself—of course not, that'd be too simple. The stationery lacked any formal heading, and all the drawers were locked.

"Anything to give us some sort of hint," Guy answered as he joined Luke to poke around the desk and cabinets.

Jade strolled along the bookshelves, eyeing the peculiar choices of literature on display. 

"Principles of Fonology.... Applied Fonic Theory.... Advanced Fomicry Practices—seems someone has a particular taste in reading," he said, pulling one of the books from the shelves to flip through it. 

"Well there _is_ a fomicry lab here," Guy pointed out.

“Guy, help me with this.” Luke motioned to one of the locked desk drawers. Pilfering through the nearby cabinets yielded nothing of value, only scraps of paper with chicken scratch or printed reports of mundane data.

Guy stepped in and pulled a small case out from his pocket, inside an array of tools he used to tinker with his fontech projects. A pair of tweezers and a file were more than adequate to pick the lock, and the drawer popped open to reveal a couple notebooks neatly stacked.

Luke grabbed the top one, flipping through it to find it was a datebook. He scanned every page, hoping to see something worth all this trouble, a lead that would tell them where to go next. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The datebook held some entries, but they were mainly appointments with other scientists and researchers here within the building. 

Luke let out a frustrated huff as he set the datebook aside to grab the next one out of the drawer.

“No good?” Guy asked, and Luke shook his head.

“No good. This thing’s empty, too.”

“Anything on your end?” Guy turned to Jade who merely shook his head, “So much for this place being a lead… I’m sorry, I really thought this place would—“

“We’ll think of something else,” Luke cut him off as he crossed his arms, “There has to be something else, something we’re missing.”

“In the meantime, we should leave this place,” Jade advised, “We can deliberate and speculate somewhere that _isn’t_ in a restricted section.”

"Yeah, you're right," Guy sighed, "Let's make sure to put everything back exactly where it was - if this _is_ Van's office, we don't want him knowing we were in here." 

They quickly put the office back in order, with a few precise details adjusted to perfection by Jade. Guy fiddled with the lock on the desk until it clicked, hoping he'd done it correctly so as to leave no evidence of tampering.

One by one they filed out of the office, beginning the task of backtracking through the labyrinthine research facility. As they made their way towards the entrance, Luke couldn’t help but to feel disappointed and bitter. This trip turned out to be a huge waste of time, putting them all at needless risk—

“—Hey!” A voice called out, and Luke came to a halt as a jolt of panic shot through him.

Oh no—were they caught? Were they in trouble? They didn’t recognize him, did they? His hood was still on!

“What is it?” A different voice responded, and cautiously, Luke peered over his shoulder to see a couple of researchers standing next to a large fon machine.

“I just got word from the Commandant, the excursion to Ortion Cavern has been scrapped,” one of the men said, holding out a letter for the other to read.

"What, seriously?" the man asked, skimming over the letter, "That's weird, I thought this trip had been marked urgent; unless they've found fonimin somewhere else - but you would think we would've heard about that by now." 

"Who knows, I'm just happy to not have to go all the way out there again," the other researcher said, rubbing a hand over his face, "Giovanna's due any day now, and I want to be around when it happens, you know?" 

"You worry too much, Marcus. Try to relax a little. C'mon, I'm starving - let's grab something at the canteen.”

"Right... thanks, Hank." 

The two researchers made their way towards the facility's dining hall, taking no notice of the three visitors who had been listening to their conversation. Jade's jaw was tight, his usual neutral expression pressed into a concerned frown.

“Well that was lucky,” Luke muttered.

"Sounds like Ortion Cavern might be our next best chance to find some information on what's going on," Guy said, "If we can find it, that is.”

“How vain and conspicuous can one be?” Jade mumbled under his breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation.

“What was that?” Luke questioned and Jade straightened up, bringing his hands around behind his back.

“It’s nothing,” he dismissed the inquiry, “I happen to know that the cave in question is on the eastern side of the Radessian continent. We’ll have to charter a ship to take us there. It’s times like this I miss having the Tartarus at my disposal,” Jade sighed.

“A Malkuth warship is _far_ from subtle in the middle of Kimlascan territory,” Luke shook his head.

“Let’s get going then,” Guy said, urging the others to keep moving, “The sooner we get there, the sooner we get answers.”

Luke took in a slow breath.

“Hopefully.”

—

Chartering a ship from Port Belkend to Ortion Cavern had been easier than anticipated. It took far more gald than Luke was comfortable with parting, but money could be replenished, the land falling could not.

The cave was dark, damp, and musty. Given by the number of monsters roaming the area, this place hadn’t seen people in quite a while. While annoying to either avoid or cut through, monsters were far preferable to fellow humans who could interfere with their investigation.

They trekked their way through the cave, finding nothing of particular interest so far which only served to irritate Luke further. There has to be something, _anything_ that would give them insight to Van’s machinations. Something that would give them a lead so that way he didn’t have to face Van in the Score. Alone.

Rem, he felt so pathetic. He knew it was impossible for anyone to perceive him through the Score but even so, he was still scared… Remembering that _sinister_ smirk on his face after the hyperresonance had Luke trembling ever so slightly as hints of nausea creeped up.

At last, they reached the end of the cave.

Luke’s eyes widened—two cells had been carved out of the rock with thick iron bars embedded deeply in the stone. Within lay trapped two cheagles, and upon seeing people for the first time in Lorelei only knew how long, the small yellow animals began to mew out desperately.

“Cheagles?” Jade questioned as Luke rushed towards the imprisoned creatures.

“How long have they been here? They must be starving!” Luke exclaimed, trying to find some way to open up the cages. “Huh… They’ve got the same star-shaped mark on their foreheads…”

That got Jade’s attention, and he eyed them over before finding placards affixed to each cage.

“A replica and its original,” Jade said.

Guy stared down at the two cheagles and watched as they continued to mew, his eyes slowly widening as Jade’s words sank in.

“That… that’s not possible, is it?” Guy turned to face at Jade, “There can't be replicas of _living things,_ can there…?”

“There can,” Jade answered, keeping his eye on the two cheagles. The one in the cell to the left was more energetic, practically bouncing in place as Luke continued to fiddle with the bars. The other was far more listless in comparison.

“But… but _how?”_ Guy pressed, “How is that even possible?”

“The theory behind fomicry is universal, be it organic or inorganic matter. However, the replication of living beings was expressly forbidden. Besides ethical concerns, the replication process was harmful to living beings. The practice was condemned by the founder himself.”

“Ironic,” Luke almost snorted. A ruthless killer and war machine concerned about ethics or the sanctity of life? The events in Chesedonia were still burned into his mind, as fresh as if it happened yesterday.

“What was that?” Jade furrowed his brow.

“Nothing, Dr. Balfour.”

Jade’s gaze sharpened as his jaw tensed. He’d never mentioned anything of his involvement with fomicry nor did he divulge his original family name, so how…? Was it Dist? He wouldn’t be surprised if Dist had spilled secrets regarding his past to the boy, although given how strict Daath was with its rules for the Scion…

His ‘Score Trances’ couldn’t _truly_ be real, could they? He’d thought it some type of fonic sight using seventh fonons instead of fifth like his own, but now…

“Got it!” Luke exclaimed as the door to the first cage swung open. He quickly moved on to the second cell and opened it as well, and the two cheagles gathered at his feet. They pawed at him, still mewling loudly, and without a second thought Luke grabbed some bread from his item bag and split it between the two small creatures.

“What are we going to do with them?” Guy asked, watching the cheagles ravenously tear into their pieces of bread.

“Leave them, they’re not our concern,” Jade said as he turned, taking notice of a console along the adjacent wall.

“What?” Luke asked in disgust, “How can you say that? You saw all those monsters as we came in—these cheagles won’t stand a chance if we leave them!” 

“We have far more pressing concerns, Luke,” Jade said as he stepped up to the console and activated it. Data appeared on screen, providing graphs, charts, and large number estimates that had even the colonel struggle to keep his composure in check. “That can’t be right…”

“What?” Guy stepped over to Jade’s side.

“This is research on theoretical scales for fomicry. 30,000,000 square kilometers… that’s more than a tenth of Auldrant...”

“That’s… that’s insane… But there’d be nowhere to _put_ such a huge replica,” Guy insisted, but Jade didn’t look convinced. The implications with such huge numbers were deeply unsettling.

“Is there anything specific in that data?” Luke asked from his spot, now pooling some water from his canteen into his palm for the two cheagles to drink.

“Let’s see…” Jade began to tinker with the device, delving into the archives it held. “There’s lists of previous replica data held here. The Malkuth military should have disposed of this; Dist must have smuggled it out. In any case, we should take this data with us. I might be able to find something more if I have more time to study it.”

As Jade copied the local data to a fon disk, Luke picked up one of the two cheagles and eyed the creature over. It was a replica alright, it had no connection to the Score but… something was different about it.

“…They’re the same,” Luke said.

“Well, of course they are if they’re really replica and origina—“ Guy started, but Luke was quick to cut him off.

“That’s not what I mean,” Luke shook his head, “Their fonon frequencies—they’re the same.”

That caught Jade’s attention, and once the data had finished copying, he ejected the disk and made his way over to Luke’s side to observe the creatures he dismissed prior.

“A perfect isofon…?”

Luke twitched involuntarily. Where had he heard that word before…? It felt so hauntingly familiar, but when he tried to recall all that came to mind was memories of a skull-splitting headache.

“There’d been theories but to think Dist could accomplish such a feat…”

“So _now_ you’re interested in them?” Luke frowned as he pulled the cheagle away from Jade. The cheagle mewed and nuzzled itself up against Luke’s chest while the other scampered over to hide behind Guy’s feet.

“Is there a problem here?” Jade asked, taking issue with Luke’s tone.

“Yes, there is,” Luke turned to face Jade, “You were ready to discard these living creatures, victims of _your_ research, because they were inconvenient, but now that they’re perfect isofons, suddenly they have value and are worth your time?”

“Wait, what do you mean by Jade’s research?” Guy asked.

“Jade invented fomicry,” Luke answered, and Guy’s eyes widened.

“Did Dist tell you that?” Jade asked, sticking his hands into his pockets. Luke shook his head. “Then tell me, how did you come to learn that? It’s not exactly common knowledge—”

Luke’s eyes merely flashed gold for a moment before he turned to walk off back towards the entrance of the cave, taking the cheagle with him.

Guy bent down, scooping the other little yellow creature into his arms. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the tense and uncomfortable expression Jade was trying to mask to little effect.

“I know you’re a skeptic,” Guy started as he glanced down to the cheagle, “but Luke really does have this power.”

With that he turned and followed after Luke, leaving the colonel behind to contemplate on what to believe.

—

The walk back through the cave was quiet and tense. At some point, Jade had caught back up, but the three walked in an uncomfortable silence. Luke was angry, he had _thought_ that perhaps Jade had changed over the years, and was no longer the terrifying monster that had decimated Kimlasca’s forces all those years ago. That perhaps his time off the battlefield and with Peony since then had softened him up. But the way Jade was ready to abandon the cheagles… It rubbed him the wrong way.

The mouth of the sea cave could be seen in the distance, and from there they could return to their vessel and catch a ride to Port Sheridan.

Out of nowhere, the cheagles began to squirm in Luke’s and Guy’s arms. They puffed up, started hissing, and tried to wiggle their way out of each boy’s grasp. A dark shadow appeared in the water, and a large aquatic beast emerged from the depths to ambush them.

“Look out!” Guy shoved Luke out of the way to avoid being struck by a writhing tentacle.

“What the hell is that thing?!” Luke scrambled back to put some distance between himself and the monster. 

“An obstacle. Now kill it!” Jade commanded, summoning his spear.

Guy drew his sword, allowing the cheagle he'd been carrying to hop down onto the cave floor and scamper away from the monster as quickly as it could. Rushing forward, he began slashing at the tentacles the creature stood on. Its skin was thick and rubbery, and he barely seemed to be doing anything more than making it angry.

"Ugh, be careful!" he called to the others, "This thing is tough!”

Luke dropped his cheagle before drawing his own blade, turning on the balls of his feet to face this horrifying monster. It hissed menacingly, and pungent smells of salt, low tide, and rotting fish permeated the air.

"It's _disgusting!”_ Luke nearly gagged as he managed to dodge another oncoming attack.

"Just _hit it!”_ Jade barked out an order as he rushed in and sliced away at it with his spear. 

Following Jade's command, Luke jumped into the fray, doing his best to string together his attacks while also avoiding damage. Between him, Guy, and Jade, they were woefully short on support, and already this monster was getting difficult to manage. 

Blue fonons caught the corner of Luke's eye and he turned, seeing the shimmering particles concentrate around the enemy.

"Get back! It's casting!" Luke called out, grabbing Guy by the arm and pulling.

Guy stumbled back just as a torrent of water came down on the spot where he'd been standing. He grunted in pain as the cascade caught part of his arm, but thanked Luke's quick action for making sure that wasn't his entire body.

"Damnit," he hissed, flexing the fingers of his injured limb to make sure he wasn't seriously hurt. The digits responded, but his entire arm felt like one massive bruise. He wouldn't be able to use the Sigmund Style to its full potential like this - if only one of the girls were here…

"It's too strong - we need to finish the fight quickly," Jade said, pulling back to attempt casting an arte.

Luke felt a slight tingle in his spine—second fonons were being drawn in, Jade was going to cast Ground Dasher in an attempt to destabilize the enemy. Quickly calculating the arte’s trajectory, Luke jumped back to clear the way as Jade unleashed his arte. The ground trembled and quaked before surging forwards, tackling into the giant monster.

A direct hit! The monster was knocked back, leaving it defenseless for a few precious moments that Luke and Guy were able to exploit. They each got a number of hits in, but the monster was quick to recover, already pulling itself back upright before swinging its tentacles around wildly.

“This thing just won’t die!” Guy panted, his arm now throbbing from the earlier hit he took.

The creature let out an ear-piercing howl, casting its torrents of water again and again. Fourth fonons thoroughly saturated the battlefield, and Luke had an idea as he saw a primed Field of Fonon appear.

_’Soldiers and casters often work together on the battlefield, with casters channeling fields of fonons that soldiers would then activate with a strike arte, creating a more powerful move. For example, Fang Blade, a third fonon strike arte, when combined with a sixth fonon circle, creates Lightning Tiger Blade, a powerful sword strike charged with wind and light fonons. Many battles were won throughout history because soldiers strategized and used their knowledge to their advantage’_

Van’s words echoed in Luke’s mind.

Immediately he wracked his brain for an arte that would trigger with a fourth field of fonon, something that would turn the tide and end this battle for good. Fang Blade? No. Havoc Strike? No. Demon Fist? No. Raging Blast? Raging Blast!

“Bring it this way!” Luke shouted, and Guy nodded.

The monster closed in, chasing after Guy for a well placed sword strike to its face. When it was within range, Luke grabbed his sword tightly, took in a deep breath, and activated his strike arte.

“You’re mine! Now shatter, Frigid Blast!” Luke yelled as his strike arte unleashed.

With an extended arm, fourth fonons gathered at his hand before rapidly crystalizing into one _giant_ mass of ice nearly as tall as the cave itself. Sharp, jagged edges exploded outwards to impale the monster, causing one last shriek before the monster went limp.

“Control your arte!” Jade demanded with a shout as the ice kept building, encompassing more and more of the battlefield.

“I _can’t!”_ Luke staggered backwards as the building ice edged him out.

Luke had seen this arte performed through the Score many, many times over the years, but not once had he seen it grow to this size. The sound of crackling was in the air, and all three of them realized the strike arte had finally reached its apex.

“DIVE!” Guy shouted, barreling into Luke in order to push him off the pathway and into the water. Jade was quick to follow Guy’s instructions, and the three were under the surface when the mass of ice finally exploded. Razor-thin shards rained down from overhead, striking everything in the immediate area with deadly precision.

When the last of the ice stopped hailing from overhead, Guy hooked his arms under Luke’s and pulled him up to the surface. Luke coughed and sputtered, his arms flailing wildly for support before he clutched onto Guy tightly.

“I’ve got you!” Guy assured, pulling Luke along with him over to the nearby ledge.

“W-where’s Jade?” Luke scanned the waters, not seeing the colonel. 

Thankfully the man in question surfaced a moment later, although he was not as fortunate as Luke and Guy had been. A piece of ice had struck the back of his left shoulder, and while not very big, the shard had embedded itself deeply into his flesh. Blood could be seen in the water as he swam to shore.

Guy extended a hand and helped pull Jade onto dry land before moving to examine the wound. Jade paid no mind to him, and instead leveled a harsh glare at Luke.

“What on Auldrant were you thinking?” Jade snapped, causing Luke to wince before growing defensive.

“I saved us!”

“You endangered us, very nearly _killed_ us! Your strike arte went completely out of control!”

“I-I did what I had to!” Luke argued as his hands clenched up into fists. “That thing was winning! I saw the field of fonons and—“

“And you drew in ten times the amount of fonons needed!”

“No I didn’t!” Luke frowned. “I pulled in the same amount of fonons as always—“

“You’re not wearing your fon slot seal, Luke,” Guy said, and Luke blinked, realizing that his friend was correct. Immediately he glanced down to his wrist, missing the comforting weight and shine of gold.

“I’m sorry, you were _wearing_ a fon slot seal?” Jade asked in disbelief before sucking in a sharp breath. His left arm was starting to go numb from the shard still protruding from his shoulder. “Just pull it out,” he instructed Guy.

Guy grasped the shard and gave a hard tug, dislodging the ice from Jade and tossing it aside. Jade let out a shaky breath before composing himself, and Guy was quick to apply pressure to the wound.

“Luke voluntarily wore a fon slot seal for the last seven years,” Guy explained, tearing some cloth from his coat in order to make a bandage. “It also acted as a fonic dampener.”

“No wonder you drew in such an exorbitant amount…” Jade sighed heavily, “Why would you _volunteer_ for such a thing?”

Luke fidgeted uncomfortably, casting his gaze off to the side to avoid having to meet Jade’s scrutiny. Movement caught his eye and he quickly hurried over to a large rock to find both cheagles huddled together.

“They’re safe!” Luke exclaimed, picking the two creatures up and holding them both close to his chest.

Jade grew annoyed Luke didn’t answer his question, but he dropped it when Guy whispered that he’d explain the situation later. He supposed that’d have to suffice for now… still…

“Perhaps it’s for the best you’ve been avoiding healing artes. I’m rather fond of keeping my limbs.”

That irked Luke.

“Excuse you?”

“From now on, if you’re to continue fighting alongside myself and Guy, you’re prohibited from using any artes at all.”

“You can’t—“

“You lack _any_ control and nearly killed us. As of right now, you’re unpredictable and untrustworthy on the battlefield. I can’t in good conscience believe you can keep me and Guy safe.”

“You can’t seriously mean that!” Luke objected, turning to Guy for some sort of back up. When Guy didn’t speak in his defense, Luke’s heart sank in his chest. “Guy, you don’t agree with him, do you?”

“He… he has a few points, Luke.”

Luke took a step back from them before casting his gaze down to the ground. “…I see.”

“You just need more structure and practice. We can work on it together,” Guy offered.

Before Luke could answer, the cavern they were in began to tremble violently as an earthquake hit. It didn’t last for very long, and thankfully the structure of the cave was unaffected—it was bad enough Luke’s strike arte spiraled out of control, they didn’t need a cave-in on top of that.

“That wasn’t me!” Luke asserted once the shaking stopped.

“Actually, it may have been,” Jade said as he started to piece things together, “Ion explained to us back in Yulia City that the Outer Lands are all supported by sephiroth trees, and the one supporting Akzeriuth was destroyed. It would stand to reason that surrounding areas would start to fall as well without that support.”

Luke felt his stomach drop, and his grip on the cheagles tightened. He didn’t want to believe that, to be responsible for even more of the world collapsing, but… He swallowed thickly, steeling himself as he worked up the courage to listen for a fonon frequency he never wanted to hear again. 

_Van stood before a passage ring, a dark and serious expression upon his face as he stared up at the glyphs overhead. Two of the ten symbols for the planetary fon slots were dark—Hod and Akzeriuth—and a red warning was encompassing one of the remaining eight still alight._

Luke broke the trance and gasped, his body shaking after seeing Van again. He forced himself to take a deep breath, trying to calm down in order to speak.

“Shurrey Hill… Van was—Van was messing with the passage ring for Shurrey Hill.” His mouth felt uncomfortably dry.

“Shurrey Hill is next to St. Binah and Engeve!” Guy exclaimed.

“St. Binah is one of our most populous cities outside the Capital with extensive trade routes, and Engeve is the agricultural hub for the world. Taking both those cities out will cripple food supply lines and cause severe shortages, possibly even mass starvation,” Jade noted.

“This keeps getting worse…” Luke shuddered. “We have to warn the people, to evacuate them somewhere safe!”

“We’ll never make it in time,” Jade dismissed the idea, “If we had the Tartarus then perhaps, but the landship is docked in Grand Chokmah, and we’ve been chartering transportation in order to maintain a low profile.”

“We also have a schedule to keep,” Guy said, remembering that they had to meet Ion and Anise back in Yulia City where Natalia and Tear were. “We can’t just alter our plans—“

“The hell we can’t!” Luke snapped at Guy. “There are _thousands_ of innocent people living in St. Binah and I _refuse_ to let another Akzeriuth happen so long as I’m still breathing!”

“Then how do you propose we get there in a timely fashion?” Jade asked in an annoyed tone. “I can appreciate your determination but I don’t condone a call to action when there is no plan to back it up. As it stands, a detour to Grand Chokmah to retrieve the Tartarus would take too long. It’s not as if we can simply fly to St. Binah.”

A sparkle came to Guy’s eyes as an idea hit him.

“Oh yes we can!” Guy couldn’t control a grin from spreading across his face. “If the rumors are true we absolutely can!”

“What rumors?” Luke asked.

“Word’s circulating in fontech circles that an ancient hover drive from the Dawn Age was unearthed fairly recently, and that secret tests were being conducted in Sheridan. Luke, if you can confirm that—“

“On it,” Luke said with a nod before stepping into the Score.

—

Natalia winced as the physical therapy session she shared with Tear came to an end. She could feel herself getting stronger every day, but it was frustrating to feel so achy and exhausted after what should have been something simple. Leaning on the crutch she'd been given to allow her to move about, she followed Tear towards the bath. 

It had become clear soon after Luke had left that the pair would need to rely on one another for certain things until their limbs were fully healed. Tear's injured arm made maintaining her long hair nearly impossible, and Natalia still struggled to get into the bath on her own. Sharing the bath eliminated both issues, but it had taken a few attempts of stubbornly trying to bathe herself before Natalia had given in.

It wasn't that she held any real dislike for the brunette anymore - they had cleared all that up on the day Luke left - but the only people who had ever attended Natalia in the bath had been her Nanny and her maids. Sharing the small space with someone she didn't know well, who was equally as vulnerable, had been something that took acclimation.

The princess lay her hand on Tear's arm, giving the melodist a small smile. 

"You did really... well today," she managed, her voice still a hoarse whisper. So long as she kept her voice low for a few more days, the doctor had said her voice would be safe from further damage.

"Thank you," Tear replied with a small smile, grateful for the validation. She'd been growing frustrated with herself over what felt like a lack of progress. Her shoulder still ached terribly, and her arm burned in a few places after going through the daily list of exercises. 

Closing her eyes, Tear took in a deep breath of the warm, steamy air, choosing to focus on the scents of their soap and shampoo rather than the pain in her arm. The heat from the water soaked deep into her muscles, helping to unwind and release tension from her body. Soon after the pain in her arm finally subsided, and she let out a tiny breath of relief before leaning back against the tub. 

"I wonder how the boys are doing," she mused aloud, opening her eyes, "Hopefully they'll have found something... Fon Master Ion worries me the most, though.”

Natalia nodded, allowing the steam in the room to soothe her throat. Even Luke had some fighting capabilities now thanks to all their training in Grand Chokmah, but Ion had only Anise to rely on for protection if things went poorly. And as he was getting right to the heart of the matter in Daath…

"I'm sure he'll be fine," she said, settling into the warm waters herself, "After all... he is the Fon Master. Of all of us, he should... be safest in Daath.”

Yes, that sounded encouraging. Natalia was going to choose to believe her own words on that matter. However, she couldn't help but turn her thoughts to Luke. They had no way of corresponding with him; for all they knew, he, Jade and Guy could have been captured... or worse.

Her stomach twisted into knots at the thought, and Natalia sank a little lower into the water as she tried not to dwell on all of the fates that could have befallen the others.

Tear recognized that face, and she couldn't fault Natalia for feeling that way. Deep down, she feared for all of their safety as well, and being stuck in Yulia City unable to help was driving her mad. She was a _soldier,_ it was her job to protect others and ensure safety. The fact that she was currently so injured she couldn't even wash her own hair felt... humiliating. Like she was incapable.

If the Scion or Fon Master were to get hurt... Three more days. They just had to make it through three more days, and they'd both be healed and ready to join back in the fight. She'd be able to protect the both of them from any harm her brother might intend.

"How's your ankle feeling?" Tear asked, trying to distract herself from racing thoughts. "You're able to move around on your crutch easier it seems.”

Knowing a distraction when she saw one, Natalia straightened up a little and nodded again. 

"It's not so bad," she said, "It feels... a lot more stable now. How's your arm? I know... it's difficult - at least you don't have... a full cast.” At Tear's curious expression, the princess elaborated. "I broke mine... when I was eight. I was climbing a tree and... the branch broke under me. I spent... two months in a plaster cast. It itched... constantly.”

"That certainly sounds... unpleasant," Tear made a slight face as she imagined such a thing. "My arm is... improving. It still aches in many ways, but my range of motion is returning.”

She went so far as to demonstrate, rotating her arm around in a big, slow circle. A few points were still somewhat painful. 

"You've broken bones before?" Tear asked, intrigued. She imagined a princess wouldn't be allowed to get into situations where bones could be broken in the first place. "This is the first time I've ever broken something. It's... not any fun.”

Natalia's smile was equal parts wry and mischievous. 

"Other than Luke, I... never really had anyone... my own age to play with," she said with a shrug, "I played with my dolls... with either my Nanny or my aunt but... I wanted _adventure._ I was always... running about the gardens and palace grounds. My- ...His Majesty said I had a... 'nose for trouble'." 

She studied Tear carefully. The soldier's skin was pale, surprisingly soft and unscarred. 

"And you...?" she asked, "I would have thought... a soldier would have all kinds of injuries.”

"My training was... atypical," Tear explained, fidgeting ever so slightly as she recalled some less than ideal memories from that time in her life. "Given my brother's rank and status within the order, teaching the famed Scion himself, he arranged for special training for me.

“Major—God General—Legretta served as my private mentor, and she taught me everything I know from right here in Yulia City. There was an... incident with some other girls my age who were also training to join the Order. They tried to frame me for killing a rappig and have me expelled. After my name was cleared I was finally allowed to leave this place and join the Order in Daath. My new classmates were just as… kind. His Holiness actually protected me before things could get violent."

The flush on the princess' face had little to do with the heat of the water. 

"Luke has always been kind," she said, "Even though he... doesn't always understand others. I'm glad he intervened when he did.”

Realizing they were perhaps getting a little too lost in conversation, she gestured for Tear to change her position in the bath.

"Here - let me help you with your hair," she said, "The water will be... too cold to enjoy soon, and... we'll be turned into prunes.”

Tear heeded, scooting a little ways over in the tub before turning her back to the princess. Closing her eyes, she counted to four before she felt a cascade of warm water flow onto her from overhead. Soon after she could smell the shampoo Natalia squeezed into her hands, and then she felt fingertips against her scalp.

As Natalia worked the shampoo into her hair, Tear hummed for a moment.

“…I was wondering,” she started, drawing her knees in towards her chest, “When I was in Grand Chokmah’s dungeon, His Holiness insisted upon calling him by his first name. I did so in his presence, but… it still feels improper of me to call him by something so familiar. The same for you, as well as the Fon Master. But I notice everyone else refers to one another with familiarity. Is it alright for me to address you in such a way as well?”

Natalia's fingers ceased their massage, but she didn't pull away as she considered Tear's question. Allowing Tear to call her by her given name...? 

It had been drummed into her since the day she was born not to allow such a degree of casualness - Luke was allowed as he was family, and the Fon Master outranked her. Guy was only just becoming accustomed to it after the events in Grand Chokmah, and there was little point in insisting upon it with either Jade or Anise as it would only give them more ammunition to antagonize her. Tear neither outranked her, nor did she assume to use the princess' name as a flex of power.

And she had _asked._ Natalia got the feeling that if she said no, Tear would simply continue to refer to her by title without question or resentment. 

"I suppose so," she said, starting to work the shampoo into Tear's hair once more, "After all, we're currently sharing a bath - if you've seen me without clothes, why shouldn't you refer to me by name? As long as I may do the same?”

“Of course,” Tear agreed with a nod, not that the princess needed the permission of a soldier for such a thing. Still, the fact that she even offered her the choice to reciprocate made her feel as if they were equals, if only for a brief moment. It was nice… She felt… important.

Water came pouring down from overhead again, rinsing away the suds.

—

Out of the bath, dried, and dressed, the two of them were heading their way back to their room to rest for the remainder of the day. Tear kept a slow pace to match Natalia’s speed, and the two engaged in idle chatter to keep their minds occupied from worrying. As they passed by a room, Tear noticed it was slightly ajar, and could hear muffled voices from within.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she peeked into the opening to find a couple of nurses within. They were gathering medicines from organized and labeled shelves, sorting them into proper dosages for their patients’ pain management.

“Did the doctor say when Major Legretta was coming back?” The nurse on the right asked.

Wait, what? Legretta had been _here?_

Natalia glanced at Tear, having stopped only a moment after the brunette so they wouldn't accidentally be separated. She didn't _mean_ to eavesdrop, but she had keen ears.

"She'll be back at the end of the week, to escort Tear and Her Highness back to Daath," the other nurse responded, "I'm sure Commandant Grants and the Kimlascan Royal Family will be glad to have them back alive and well.”

"Of course. Yulia willing, the princess' return will keep the peace - things have been pretty tense since she and His Holiness went missing from Daath, but Mayor Teodoro seems unbothered, as usual.”

"That's because he fully trusts in the Score," the other nurse said, "Just like we _all_ should.”

"We have to go," Natalia murmured, tugging on Tear's arm.

Tear didn’t argue as she followed after.

—

Tear paced back and forth in their small room as she tried to think of just what her brother was planning. Had the Fon Master been captured? Did he leak their plans to Van and his God Generals? Were they after Luke? 

“It’s not safe for us to stay here,” Tear started, “but it’s not safe for us to leave, either. You’re still reliant on your crutch and I need my sling. There’d be no way for us to fight our way out of Aramis Spring—“

A knock on their door interrupted her sentence, and she kept silent as a nurse poked her head in.

“Good evening, ladies. I have your next doses ready for you,” she said with a smile, stepping into their room with a tray in hand.

Tear accepted the small cup full of pills, and when the nurse turned to face Natalia, Tear mouthed ‘don’t take them,’ before palming her medication.

Natalia took her cup of pills next, trying to hide the flash of panic that went through her as the memory of her Death Score shot unbidden through her mind.

"Thank you," she murmured, following Tear's lead. The pain in her ankle was steadily rising in sharp harmony to the throbbing ache of her muscles, but they couldn't risk taking the pills and being too out of sorts to escape. 

"Your Highness? Do you need to lay down?" the nurse asked, frowning with concern, "You don't look well. Maybe I should call in the doctor?”

“She’ll be fine,” Tear was quick to answer, “Our physical therapy was a little tougher today, so we’re both feeling worn down. A good night’s sleep is what we need.”

“If you’re certain,” the nurse said, taking the empty cups from both Tear and Natalia, “Remember, if you’re feeling unwell all you need to do is call for us and we’ll be there to help you.”

“Of course,” Tear smiled at her.

When the nurse left, and Tear was sure the nurse was out of earshot, Tear jammed her pills into her pocket before getting back out of bed. “If I can grab a couple holy bottles from our city’s storehouse that _should_ grant us protection from monsters in Aramis Spring. But… once we get out, where do we go? Daath runs the risk of my brother, and Belkend is Kimlascan territory.”

Closing her eyes, Natalia drew up an image of Auldraunt in her mind. 

Luke would be returning from Belkend - it was possible they'd meet him on the road, but they couldn't count on that. Keteburg and Grand Chokmah were close enough, but Van would almost certainly try to search for them in those two towns first, given her recent flight from Daath. 

"Sheridan," she said at last, "It's far away but... the people there are friendly. His Majesty has been... worried for some time. He says... the citizens are more loyal to... their work than to the crown. We... should be able to shelter there." 

Hopefully Luke would be checking in on them through the Score regularly enough to know of the change in plans…

—

Sherridan, another proud Kimlascan city that thrived on fontech. Unlike Belkend, this city was far from the pristine, uniform condition Duke Fabre enforced. Sheridan was composed of dusty trails, rustic buildings, and pieces of fontech incorporated into the scenery. The patchwork ‘City of Craftsmen’ lay perched atop a steep seaside cliff, so a cool ocean breeze helped offset the heat of the sun beating down from overhead.

Luke fanned himself in what felt like an exercise of futility. His hood may have provided him some shade but it felt like it was only trapping more heat. This place felt so unbearably hot—Daath never reached temperatures like this, even during the peak of summer. He supposed this place was close to the equator, but still, what he wouldn’t give to take his coat off right about now.

It certainly didn’t help that he was also carrying the two cheagles they’d rescued. The little fuzz balls, while adorable and fun to pet, acted like furnaces.

“So where is this hangar you spoke of?” Guy asked, unable to mask the excitement in his voice. “The ship’s still there, right? I can’t wait to see it!”

“It’s over there,” Luke pointed down an alleyway along the left side of the city. Thankfully it would bring them into the shade.

As they walked further into the city, a loud, unfamiliar hum filled the air, causing not only the three of them to stop and find the source, but other townsfolk as well. Whatever the source of the noise was, it grew louder with each second until the hum became a full on roar.

“—LOOK THERE!” A man exclaimed, and others on the streets all cried out in shock and surprise as a ship rose into the sky. Fierce winds kicked up as the ship accelerated before disappearing off into the horizon, leaving stunned onlookers in its wake.

“What… the hell…?” Luke’s mouth hung agape. He’d seen some truly fantastic things over the years, but nothing ever like this.

“Well I’d say we’ve found it,” Jade mused.

Guy could barely contain his excitement and he spun around, grabbing hold of Luke’s hands with a tight squeeze. 

“It works! It actually works! And that was bound to have been its first test flight! Its maiden voyage! We’re so lucky to have witnessed history!”

“Ow- Ow! Guy, let go!” Luke wormed his hands free of Guy’s tight grasp.

“It headed to the west, so its likely somewhere around the Meggiora Highlands—“ Jade stopped when he noticed that Guy’s outburst had drawn attention from nearby bystanders. What’s worse, the wind had knocked Luke’s hood off.

“Is that… really…?” A woman asked as she gazed at Luke.

“Red hair? The Scion?” Another man questioned, the title making Luke’s ears twitch. He glanced around, seeing the people slowly approaching, and his eyes widened when he realized his hood had been dislodged.

Immediately he grabbed it and pulled it back on, but by then it was too late. 

Still too in awe of the flying machine that had just passed overhead, Guy barely noticed the commotion around them. Instead, it was up to Jade to grab Luke and quickly haul him into the large central building in town, with Guy barely keeping up behind them.

"Something has to be done about your hair," Jade said as he half-led, half-dragged Luke towards the building - the colonel making good use of his longer legs, "It's difficult enough that you can't assist in battles without putting our lives at risk; having you go about with your hands clamped to your hood is simply ridiculous." 

"Jade, can you lay off?" Guy asked as he took a few quick strides to close the distance between them, "There was no hair dye in Yulia—" 

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize your position as Luke's bodyguard included making excuses for him," Jade snapped as he pushed open the doorway and pulled Luke into the building, "Yulia City was not the first city Luke arrived in after his escape from Daath. As a matter of fact, I believe there were several weeks in which the two of you and Her Highness lolled about in Grand Chokmah not long ago.”

“If you’re trying to pick a fight you’re doing a hell of a good job,” Luke frowned at Jade, yanking his arm free from the colonel’s grasp.

“Enough, both of you,” Guy put himself between them, “I’m sure we’ll find dye for sale here and we can take care of—“

“—was marvelous!” A new voice spoke up from behind them, and the three turned to see the doorway to the large building they were in open up. In stepped a handful of elders dressed in workman’s attire.

“The hover drive worked better than anticipated! Integrating current fontech was not an easy task but damn if that ship isn’t seamless!” An old man, balding with impossibly thick eyebrows, beamed proudly as he crossed his arms.

“We’ll get to work on the tune ups for the Albiore II an—“ another old man with greying hair stopped mid-sentence as he noticed the three intruders standing in the middle of their workshop, “—who the hell are you three?”

The old woman of the group gasped upon seeing Luke, and she rubbed her eyes a few times before looking at him again just to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. “Red hair! I don’t believe it!”

“Huh?” The balding man asked, causing the woman to give his shoulder a hard shove.

“Hush, Iemon! We’re in the presence of the Holy Scion!”

Luke suppressed a groan.

“Holy Scion?” Iemon balked with a disbelieving scoff, “Don’t buy it. Why would the figurehead of the Order be here in our workshop?”

“For the Albiore?” Luke suggested weakly, “That’s what the ship’s called, right?”

The old woman brought her hand up to her mouth to cover a slight gasp. The Scion deigned to speak directly to them? And he was even holding two of the Order’s sacred beasts! If it weren’t for her bad knees, she would have gotten down onto them to pray.

“Huh, didn’t peg you to be the religious type, Tamara,” the old man with gray hair said, “Well, if you really _are_ the Scion, then welcome to our humble workshop. I’m Aston, this is Iemon, and she’s Tamara. We’re the engineers working on the hover drive project, which I’m certain you saw earlier.”

“Yes!” Guy interjected, that mischievous sparkle still glinting in his eye, “I’ve heard so many tales regarding the legendary Class M but to see your work in action…!”

Iemon laughed heartily and beat a hand to his chest, “Glad to see someone here has good taste! That was the Albiore, the first ship of its kind.”

“His grandson, Ginji, is operating as the test pilot,” Tamara supplied, “Though we still have more work to do on the Albiore II before it’s flight ready.”

“If the Albiore flies then it more than suits our purposes,” Jade said, and that earned him a suspicious glance from Aston.

“Yes, you’d mentioned you were here for the Albiore?” he asked.

“We wish to borrow it for a time,” Jade replied and all three of the elderly engineers let out various noises to express their disbelief.

“Are you out of your minds? Even if you are _actually_ the Scion like Tamara says, we can’t just let you three ‘borrow’ our pride and joy! Our magnum opus!” Iemon stamped his foot repeatedly. “It’s one of a kind!”

“Didn’t you say there was a second ship?” Luke asked but the old man elected to ignore his comment.

“It’s for an important rescue operation,” Guy stepped into the conversation with a serious tone, “That ship is the only thing that can get us to St. Binah in time to evacuate everyone safely.”

“St. Binah? Evacuate?” Tamara blinked, “Goodness, what’s the emergency?”

Luke cast his gaze down to the ground. “St. Binah is in danger of collapsing, just like Akzeriuth. Thousands of people will be killed unless we can get there in time.”

“Collapsing? I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Aston waved dismissively, “but whatever the case, a city in Malkuth is not our concern. We have our work to attend to—“

Luke stepped forward.

“I’m _not_ asking.”

Iemon puffed up defensively.

“Now listen here you little punk, you break into our workshop, claim to be the Scion of Lorelei, and demand we just hand over our top secret project for some Malkuth city? I think not! The nerve, the _entitlement_ of kids these days!”

“Besides,” Aston cut in, in an attempt to diffuse the situation, “as we said earlier, the Albiore II isn’t flight ready yet, and Ginji is currently out test piloting the Albiore so it’s not even here.”

“When will he be back?” Jade asked, but Luke didn’t wait for their answer as he peered into the Score.

“W-what is he doing?” Tamara gasped as Luke’s eyes changed color.

“If I were to guess, he’s likely checking when Ginji will be back through the Score,” Guy answered as he shook his head. He’d have to scold Luke later for his impatience; he understood wanting to gather information as fast as he could given the circumstances, but it was bad form to shock the elderly like this!

“Checking… through the Score? He can do that?” Aston scratched his head.

Luke came out of the trance, and immediately shock and horror graced his face as he wrapped his arms tightly around the cheagles he still carried.

“Luke?” Guy asked, now deeply concerned by his friend’s change in demeanor. “Are you okay, what’d you see?”

“Ginji—he… there’s, there’s a problem with one of the Albiore’s components… He crashes into a cliff in the highlands…” It falls, he doesn’t survive. Luke squeezed his eyes shut tightly and shook his head repeatedly. Another Death Score he’s had to see… Rem, he was so tired of them.

“Nonsense! Pure nonsense, I triple checked every single component that went into that ship! There’s no way any of it can be faulty, much less cause a crash!” Iemon snapped, pointing an accusatory finger towards Luke. “Whatever game you’re pulling, we’ll have none of it! Noelle!”

On the workshop’s second story balcony, a young woman with short blonde hair and bright blue eyes popped her head out from over the railing.

“Yes, grandpa?” She called out.

“Call the city guard and have them arrest these trespassers!”

“Iemon, you idiot! You can’t surely mean that!” Tamara protested as the girl named Noelle hurried down the stairs to see what was actually going on.

“What’s this all about?” Noelle asked as she glanced between the newcomers and her family, “I thought I heard someone mention my brother’s name? And why do you want to call the guards on them, grandpa?”

“This charlatan,” he jabbed a finger into Luke’s chest, “is trying to manipulate us into giving him the Albiore and claimed that the ship is going to crash into the Highlands! He’s a liar and a thief and I want him out!”

“I haven’t taken anything!” Luke protested, swatting Iemon’s hand out of his personal space. “And I’m not a liar!”

Jade pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, feeling a bit of a headache coming on at how asinine this situation was. “Well, this is getting us nowhere.”

Noelle grew concerned as she turned to Luke. “Wait, what do you mean the ship’s going to crash? How do you know that?”

Luke fidgeted uncomfortably, jostling the cheagles in his arms a bit. “I’m… the Scion of Lorelei, and I saw it in the Score just now.”

Noelle’s eyes widened, “You… are? You did? I-Is he okay? Will he—“

“Ginji is _fine,_ there’s no way that ship can crash!” Iemon boasted.

“Save for a pesky little thing known as gravity,” Jade shrugged, earning an irritated glare from Iemon.

“Stop antagonizing them, you hardhead,” Aston scolded his colleague, “I’m sure if you _ask_ for some kind of way to prove himself, he’ll do it.”

Iemon frowned, but crossed his arms and hummed for a moment.

“Ginji has fluffy white hair, gray eyes, and was wearing a jumpsuit under a blue leather jacket with a bird patch embroidered on the back,” Luke said.

“Yes! That’s him,” Noelle exclaimed.

“Feh, you could have seen him around town before he left. Not convinced.” Iemon shook his head.

Luke was growing increasingly frustrated—he’d never had someone not only doubt but _refuse_ to believe his identity, even _after_ seeing his power! This man was obstinate, stubborn, and a _major_ pain in the ass.

“Pick a random date and location. I’ll tell you exactly what you were doing,” Luke said.

“Luke, you don’t have to do that,” Guy objected.

“If I have to turn my abilities into a party trick to get what we need to save all those people, then yes I do,” Luke said before redirecting his attention to Iemon, his gaze narrowing. “Pick a date and location.”

Iemon hummed again. “Let’s see… Ah, Baticul, Ifrit Decan 36, ND 1974.”

Luke cringed. Forty-four years ago? This was going to hurt.

He jumped back to that date, his head experiencing increasing pressure and pain the further back through the years he went. _He arrived at the specific moment, finding a much younger Iemon getting his ass handed to him in the coliseum._

Coming out of the trance, Luke choked back a pained groan as he dropped the cheagles to grab at his head. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Guy asked as he placed a hand on Luke’s shoulder.

Luke waved him off, giving a short nod, “Yeah, just… going back that far tends to give me a bad headache. I’ll be okay…”

He took a brief moment to compose himself, drawing in a breath before turning to Iemon.

“You were participating in the Might of Fight and lost. Pretty badly. What were you even thinking trying to take on a bunch of blazeits with your _bare_ hands?” he asked as he bent down to pick the cheagles back up, taking a moment to pet and soothe them in apology.

“You did _what?”_ Noelle asked, looking positively bewildered as her grandpa grinned broadly.

“I’d just graduated from the Royal academy, and that no good Henken from Class I said I wouldn’t last more than ten seconds in the arena. Proved him wrong, I lasted twelve,” he laughed heartily, briefly re-living that wonderful, inglorious moment. “Well, I admit that I was wrong, you seem to be who you say you are.”

Finally, Luke thought to himself.

“So then Ginji really is in danger!” Noelle grew alarmed. “We have to do something!”

Luke went into thought for a moment, recalling the scene of the crash in his mind. Initially Ginji survives with minor injury, but the problem was he would be stranded on a cliff with no way down, and a huge gust of wind would blow the Abliore off its perch, causing him to fall with it and perish.

“If there was some way to secure it…” he mumbled to himself before facing the engineers. “The Albiore will be okay for a while after the crash, but it’s at risk of falling due to high winds. If the Albiore can be secured somehow and then lowered safely down the cliffs—“

“We have just the thing,” Aston said, walking off to an adjacent room for a brief moment. He returned, hoisting up two long cylinders with hydraulics and a trigger mechanism in his arms. “These are portable cable launchers. They launch high-tensile strength cables over long distances that have anchors attached at the ends.”

Guy eagerly accepted the launchers into his hands, taking a moment to study their simplistic yet effective designs.

“We’ll get Ginji and the Albiore back safely. On that you have my word,” Luke assured Noelle.

“Thank you, Your Holiness—“

“Luke,” he corrected her with a smile.

“Of course, Luke. Thank you. Also, if you wanted to leave your pets here for the time being, I wouldn’t mind watching them while you’re off. They’re very cute, and I worry they might get hurt out in the Highlands with you.”

“Perfect,” Luke handed the two small cheagles off to her. “Please, keep them safe.”

“We will,” Noelle grinned.

—

The Meggiora Highlands, an arid expanse of land home to a giant canyon that spanned across a large portion of Radessia. Despite the lack of plant life, the Highlands were home to a fair number of monsters that made navigating quite the challenge. Once they reached the mouth of the canyon that led further into the Highlands, Jade stuck his hand out to keep Guy or Luke from walking past him.

Luke bumped into Guy, and he muttered a quick apology before peering around him to see what was happening.

A monster corpse lay out in the sun, the heat of day baking the spoiled meat as flies buzzed around.

“It’s somewhat fresh,” Guy commented as he glanced around, seeing a few more corpses lying ahead.

“We aren’t alone,” Jade replied as he scanned their immediate area.

Suddenly the loud hum of the Albiore’s engines could be heard, and all three looked up to see the flying ship speed by overhead.

“It hasn’t crashed yet!” Guy exclaimed.

“Give it a moment…” Luke bit his bottom lip.

The ship lurched, and the steady hum began to oscillate violently. It veered off path, changing trajectory only to rapidly lose altitude and disappear into the Highlands.

“How long until it falls?” Guy asked, wincing as he heard the impact of the crash in the distance.

“Fifteen minutes,” Luke answered.

“We’ll have to act fast then,” Jade said, taking hold of one of the launchers.

The three made their way further into the Highlands, trying their best to hurry while also maintaining caution. Whoever hunted the monsters did them a favor by helping to clear their path, but there was no guarantee they were friendly.

As they rounded up a hill, Luke stopped in his tracks as his eyes widened.

“Luke?” Guy took notice, growing concerned.

“…Ion’s here,” Luke said.

“What?” Jade asked. “Are you sure?”

“I can hear his fonon frequency—it’s coming from down there!” Luke pointed to a nearby depression in the Highlands. 

“What would Ion be doing down there? Wasn’t he supposed to be in Daath with Anise trying to wrangle the Order back into shape?” Guy scratched his head.

“If I were to make an educated guess,” Jade started, “Things didn’t go according to plan which is hardly surprising. If he’s here then this place must be one of the planetary fon slots, and it’s likely there are Daathic forces guarding him.”

“Luke, can you check in on him and see if he’s alright?” Guy asked.

“E-eh?” Luke blinked. How the hell was he supposed to do that when replicas aren’t in the Score?! “I—yeah… give me a moment…”

Jade eyed him but said nothing as he once again slipped into a trance.

“You always look uncomfortable when he does that,” Guy noted, “Is it really so hard to believe in?”

“Lorelei has never formally been observed; its very existence is a mere hypothesis. But, given that fonic sentients exist for all other fonons… it’s not too big a stretch to believe Lorelei may truly exist. Luke having some sort of _connection_ to such a thing however…”

“He startled you when he brought up facts about your past, right?”

Jade clenched his jaw for a moment.

Luke let out a slight gasp and shook his head, drawing both Guy’s and Jade’s attention to him.

“You okay? What’d you see?” Guy asked as Luke put a hand to his head.

“Yeah, I’m fine just… that ended somewhat abruptly. The headache will go away in a moment. Largo is there.”

Jade’s gaze narrowed.

“Largo? Largo the Black Lion, Largo?” Guy asked. “Then Jade was right and this _is_ the location of a passage ring. We have to go get him!”

“But, Ginji and the Albiore!” Luke protested, pointing to the cliffs in the distance where the Albiore lay stranded, teetering dangerously close to the edge.

“The Fon Master takes priority,” Jade said curtly, causing Luke to grimace, “With Ion in Van’s possession, he has the means to disable the rest of the passage rings and plunge the whole world into the Qliphoth. Ginji is expendable, and the hover drive can be recovered la—“

“Don’t you _dare_ say that!” Luke shouted angrily, rounding on Jade to grab him by the collar of his outfit. Jade hardly reacted as Luke got up into his face. “Don’t you _dare_ say that _anyone_ is expendable!”

“Luke… I know where you’re coming from…” Guy started, placing a hand onto Luke’s shoulder, “But I agree with Jade on this. Ion should take priority, and you _know_ that.”

“It’s simple, Luke. We rescue Ginji, we save thousands. We rescue Ion, we save millions.”

Luke grit his teeth tightly, his hands trembling for a moment before he roughly let Jade go. He didn’t bother to say anything, and kept his eyes downcast as he silently followed after the two of them towards Ion.

13:29…13:28…13:27…

Every step, every _second_ they spent on Ion doomed Ginji to a Death Score. Luke started to feel nausea creep up again as his heart raced. Ginji would _die_ and Noelle would be devastated. He _promised_ her he’d get her brother back safely! He doesn’t break promises!

Third fonons saturated the air, and Luke felt another tingle in his spine as an arte was cast.

“—Turbulence!” A voice shouted, and Luke _barely_ managed to dodge the sudden and _violent_ gale of wind that howled throughout the area. The force of the wind knocked Luke off balance and he hit the ground with a pained grunt.

“Oh storm cloud loose thy blade! Thunderblade!”

Luke rolled, avoiding a bolt of lightning before scrambling up to his feet.

“Tch. Van said you wouldn’t be able to see me coming, but I guess he was wrong,”

Luke’s eyes widened as their adversary stepped into the light and revealed himself.

“S-Sync…?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the super long delay in getting this chapter out, August was a busy, busy month for the both of us. Life events are currently taking priority, and as such Scion will be going on hiatus for a while until things calm down and we're able to fully give our attention to this project. Thank you to everyone who has been reading this story so far. We hope to resume regular updates soon.


	15. The Rescue

“S-Sync…?”

“At last we meet in person, ‘Your Holiness’,” Sync taunted with a malicious smirk—a smirk Luke recognized despite the mask he wore, a smirk Luke had _never_ wanted to see again.

He stood frozen in place as the reality of the situation dawned on him, and countless memories of Ion—the original Ion—raced through his mind; the cruelty, bullying, lying, and callousness. This replica standing before him was such a perfect reflection of his original, Luke felt his stomach twist.

Was the current replica Fon Master’s kindness just an exception? Was he an outlier? And just how many other replica Ions were out there?

“Sync!” Guy yelled as he dashed forwards, putting himself in front of Luke to act as a barrier. 

“Cato,” Sync said indifferently as he rested his hands on his hips, “I was wondering when you’d show up.”

“What the hell are you doing _attacking_ Luke?!” Guy demanded as he drew his blade, keeping a tight grip on the hilt as he stared the God General down. “You know that’s against—“

“Spare me the lecture,” Sync said with a wave of his hand, “You’ve no right to quote the Order’s rules to me considering you abandoned your post. Besides, Van only said I needed to bring him back alive, he never said _anything_ about bringing him back in one piece.”

Luke took a step back, cold sweat prickling on the back of his neck.

13:12… 13:11… 13:10…

“If you think I’ll just let you take Luke back to that madman,” Guy narrowed his gaze as he widened his stance, “You’re _sorely_ mistaken.”

“Ho?” Sync chuckled dryly as he surveyed his opponents. The Scion himself was negligible; he might have learned how to hold a sword, but he was shamefully outclassed. Cato was manageable—nay, _useful_. It would take some careful maneuvering, but if he could get a clear shot, the odds would quickly fall in his favor. The only one _actually_ a threat was—

“O violent torrent - Splash!” 

A deluge of water crashed down on Sync, the currents carrying him back aways before he could regain his footing.

“Tch! Annoying…!” Sync grunted as he pulled himself upright, “I thought Largo hit you with a fon slot seal back on the Tartarus!”

“He did,” Jade replied as he adjusted his glasses and summoned his spear, “But unfortunately for you, it can be undone with enough work. Now, I suggest you leave before things turn violent.”

“Sorry but that’s not an option,” Sync set his sights on Luke, “You’re coming with me; whether that’s upright and conscious or knocked out and face-down is dependent on you. I have no issue dragging you back by your hair, if necessary.”

Eyes darting back and forth between the God General and the Albiore, a grim realization dawned on Luke: Ginji’s Death Score would play out as he predicted. There was no way to fight Sync, recover Ion, and get to Ginji in time, unless…

He stepped forward.

“If I go with you—“ he started, to Guy’s utter disbelief.

“You can’t be serious!” Guy objected in an instant, leveling a wild look that quickly morphed into anger at the redhead. “Luke, don’t you _dare_ entertain this idea!”

“ _If I go with you,_ ” Luke repeated louder for emphasis, “Will you leave Guy and Jade alone?”

“I’ve no quarrel with either of them,” Sync huffed as he crossed his arms, cocking his hip to one side. This certainly wasn’t the fight he was expecting, but at least this made his job easier. “We’ll head for Port Sheridan and make our way back to Daath immediately.”

“Luke!” Guy rounded in on his friend—his stupid, idiotic friend who _always_ got himself into _far_ too much trouble—ready to sock him in the jaw for such a thing -

\- only to find Jade in his way.

“Move!”

The colonel said nothing, appreciating Guy’s frustration and anger all too well. 

This troublesome child was wearing down on his last good nerve, and had caused a decrease in stomach lining he would never be willing to admit. However, it wasn’t hard to put two and two together. He subtly nodded his head in the direction of the Albiore and watched Guy’s expression shift in understanding.

That _idiot!_ He was willing to sacrifice himself for the hover drive? No, not even the hover drive, for the pilot! How could he ever think of something so foolish, he didn’t even _know_ the man!

“Let’s move,” Sync ordered.

“Oh no you _don’t!_ ” Guy snapped as he lunged forwards.  
He abandoned his weapon, throwing his full body weight against the smaller God General. Sync hit the ground with a groan as the wind was knocked out of him. Before he could recover his breath, Guy was on top of him, hands wrapped around his neck and thumbs pressed into his throat.

“G-Guy!” Luke sputtered in shock as he took a half-step forward. A hand caught the back of his jacket.

“Leave him,” Jade said, “Letting him live will only prove to be a nuisance later. Although this method is far from efficient; a blade would be much quicker.”

_Chesedonia. Screaming. Soldiers bloodied and disemboweled. Smoke and ash._

Sync was struggling, losing against Guy. He clawed at Guy’s hands, fruitlessly trying to pry them off. He bashed his fists against Guy’s arms, but Guy only increased his pressure. There was a wet gurgle and saliva dribbled out of Sync’s mouth.

Panicking, Luke pulled free of Jade and moved to push Guy off Sync with shaking hands.

“Stop! Stop it!” he begged. Enemy or not this was _not_ right! 

Guy’s grip loosened ever so slightly, allowing Sync a brief breath and the opportunity for one last trick. Raising his hand up, Sync called on first fonons before scratching Guy’s right bicep. 

The pain was sharp and immediate, followed by a hot burning sensation. Guy fell back on his heels with a strangled cry, clutching his arm. Looking down, he saw a strange glyph forming on his skin through the torn fabric of his sleeve.

Sync wheezed and coughed heavily, struggling to pull air in his lungs with his chest and throat aching. 

12:43… 12:42… 12:41…

No longer pinned, Sync scrambled out from under Guy, quickly putting distance between himself and his opponents. His breath came in ragged gasps, and he kept one hand at his throat. 

“You’ll… pay for that…!” he croaked, channeling third fonons for a retaliatory strike. 

Movement out of the corner of his eye grabbed his attention - Largo, with the Fon Master trying to keep pace beside him. They must have just finished with the Zao Ruins and Meggiora Passage Rings. Dammit—! He was forbidden from coming into contact with the Fon Master!

He dismissed the arte, retreating up the nearest cliffside and disappearing from view. He sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth and cursed his luck. This was not how he wanted this to go at all.

Jade kept his gaze up on the cliffs as Luke helped Guy back to his feet. The blond swayed slightly as the adrenaline began to leave his system, leaving only the pain of the mark on his arm. There was little time to dwell on it however. Just as Guy prepared to ask Luke what the hell he’d been thinking, Largo the Black Lion and Ion stepped into view.

Seeing the other three, Ion came to a surprised halt.

“Jade, Luke? Guy!” 

The Fon Master ran forward a couple steps only for Largo to extend his arm out, blocking Ion’s path.

“You’ll be going nowhere, Fon Master,” Largo said, setting his sights on Jade with a smirk, “Well, well. We meet again, Necromancer.”

"Largo," Jade said with a small nod, as though the two were peers on the fringes of one another's acquaintance, rather than enemies about to engage in a battle, "I'm afraid I've yet to repay you for the little gift you gave me when last we met.”

"Think nothing of it," the giant man said, readying his scythe, "Not that you'll have long to think of anything before I take your head from your shoulders." 

"I'm hurt to hear you think me so slow-witted. Then again, I suppose your continued proximity to Dist may have something to do with that." 

"Can you two stop flirting so we can get a move on?" Guy said through clenched teeth, a thin sheen of sweat that had nothing to do with the highland heat forming on his brow as he drew his blade. Still, he pushed himself forward to meet the Black Lion’s first swing.

Largo brought up his scythe, using it to block Guy’s attack with ease. He shoved Guy, forcing him onto the defensive, but Guy was not about to yield further ground.

“When I heard you turned traitor to the Commandant, I didn’t want to believe it,” Largo sneered, slashing down at him, “You’d turn your back on the man who gave you so much?”

“I don’t need to hear that from you!” Guy retorted as he dodged out of the way, rolling back up to his feet.

The two exchanged numerous blows, neither backing down. With Guy holding Largo’s attention, Jade found every opportunity to step in with his spear and make precision strikes to vulnerable openings. 

It was a strategy with a limited lifespan - Largo soon found the pattern and adjusted his stance to block Jade’s next attack. Jade fell back, allowing Guy to once again recapture the Black Lion’s attention while the colonel began channelling fonons. He thrust his arm outwards, prepared to speak the artes’ incantation when he noticed Luke standing in place, trembling.

“Luke!” Jade snapped, “You said you were going to fight, so fight!”

Luke ripped his attention away from Largo, his eyes wide with fear even as he tried to suppress it.

“T-that’s a _person!_ ” 

“He’s an _enemy_! Now either fight or get out of the way!”

_Explosions. Fire raining down. Soldiers burning._

Luke squeezed his eyes shut.

“Luke!”

A rough hand grabbed him by the collar, forcing his eyes open.

“Get Ion and then _get off the battlefield!_ ” Jade said, shoving him away to avoid Largo’s next swing.

“The Necromancer’s right, boy,” Largo said, “You shouldn’t have a sword unless you’re prepared to use it.”

The God General turned, raising the butt of his scythe to deal the Scion a knockout blow. Before he could swing, however, a flurry of strikes rained down on Largo’s back.

“Luke - run!” Guy shouted as Largo turned to deal with the more formidable opponent.

Luke retreated from the battlefield, gripping the hilt of his sword. The blade rattled in its scabbard as his hand continued to shake.

Dammit…! Dammit it all to hell, why couldn’t he draw his blade? Why couldn’t he fight like Jade and Guy could? He _knew_ that Largo was an enemy, that Sync was an enemy, that going back with either of them to Van was a stupid, _stupid_ choice, so why couldn’t he raise his blade against them? Why was the thought of killing them so abhorrent?

Jade was right; he didn’t belong on the battlefield. All of that training, all of that effort, a waste.

Why couldn’t he just be stronger?

10:33…10:32…10:31…

Darting around the edges of the battle, Luke grabbed Ion’s hand.

“Luke!” Ion gasped, startled at the sudden touch.

“Let’s go!”

"Wh... where are we going?" Ion panted as he tried to keep up, leaving the fight behind them. He coughed at the dust their footsteps kicked up, his legs and chest burning.

“Away from here!”

Luke came to a stop at a natural crossroads, taking just a moment to let them both catch their breath. No monsters were around thankfully, and they were too far away for Largo to try and pursue them, although the battle could still be heard in the distance. Luke took a quick look around; Sync wasn’t coming out from the shadows to attack them, either.

“Wha-what are you even doing here?” Ion finally managed to ask, using his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow, “I thought you were supposed to be investigating Belkend before returning to Yulia City.”

“Weren’t you supposed to be in Daath getting the Order back under control?” Luke replied a bit harsher than he’d meant to.

Ion winced and gripped his staff tightly before lowering his gaze to the ground. 

“I suppose I deserve that. Mohs practically ambushed us the moment we arrived in the cathedral, and then before I could regroup with Anise, Largo showed up. He told me to come with him, and, well...”

Rem, now Luke felt bad.

“Sorry, Ion, I...” Luke started before deciding to answer the Fon Master’s question, “…Belkend led us to a cave with lots of replica data. I checked the Score and saw Van messing with the Shurrey Hill passage ring, so St. Binah and Engeve are in danger. We came here for that—“ 

Luke pointed over to the Albiore, still stranded on its perch, when an idea hit him.

“Stay here!” he ordered, racing back to retrieve the cable launchers. Only two people were needed to operate them, and if Guy and Jade couldn’t help, then dammit, he and Ion were going to do it!

09:08…09:07…09:06…

Ion stood in place, his gaze constantly shifting between where Luke had disappeared, and the ship up on the cliff. How could a ship have even crashed up there to begin with? And its body shape was certainly unique—it didn’t look like any of the other ships, cruisers, ferries, or landships he’d seen before.

“Ion!”

The Fon Master turned, seeing Luke racing back with the cable launchers in tow. 

“Are you alright?” Ion asked, hesitantly placing a hand on Luke’s back as the redhead struggled to breathe.

“I hate… running…” Luke panted as he wiped the sweat from his face. 

Once it no longer felt like his heart was trying to burst out of his chest, he took in a deep breath and thrust a cable launcher at Ion. 

“Here, we’re going to use these to lower the Albiore and its pilot down safely.”

“Eh?!” Ion stammered - the launcher was more than half his height, and he could barely keep it level. “How do we do that? I’ve never used one of these before.”

“Neither have I,” Luke admitted as he studied his launcher, “But it doesn't look too complicated - just aim it at the ship and pull the trigger. Think you can manage that?”

“I suppose so…I just hope I don’t do something to make this worse.”

“It can’t be worse than leaving him there, trust me.”

Ion took in a slow breath to steady himself.

“Okay.”

—

Guy gripped his sword tightly, cursing under his breath. Largo had managed a tactical retreat after they’d _finally_ gained the upper hand. It was bad enough Sync had slinked away, but _Largo?_ Now there were _two_ people who would inform Van where Luke was!

“I understand you’re angry,” Jade said as his spear dissipated into light, “But you’re too injured to continue a pursuit; we should use this opportunity to recover and regroup.”

“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” Guy muttered, roughly sheathing his blade.

“Oh, I agree. It’s very unfortunate you were unable to finish the job with Sync. Next time, _do try_ to remember that you have a _sword._ I’ve even been told you have some training with it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Guy said as he pressed a hand to his aching side. Despite his speed and his skill, it was only just barely a match for Largo’s strength and experience. Blood was beginning to soak through the side of his tunic, and he lifted the hem of the garment to confirm the source.

“Oh _perfect,_ my stitches split.”

“We’ll get a healer to tend to that back in Sheridan. Now then, where did Luke and Ion run off to?” 

Scarlet eyes scanned the highlands for any sign of the Scion and the Fon Master, pausing as they reached the cliffside where the Albiore had been so precariously perched. 

The cliff was vacant. Surely it hadn’t fallen? They would have _heard_ it from here, and there was no sign of a wreck.

“Guy—!”

Guy turned, seeing Luke as well as the Fon Master _and the pilot_ walking towards them. The pilot was limping, keeping one arm over Luke’s shoulder for support while his other hand pressed a cloth to his bleeding forehead.

“Luke!” 

Guy dashed over, ignoring the pain in his side momentarily.

“You actually managed to rescue him!?”

“What do you mean _‘actually’_?” Luke frowned. “Ion helped me with the cable launchers and we lowered the Albiore down.”

“Not too gently, I’m afraid…” Ion added as he scuffed his foot in the dirt. 

“So long as the hover drive remained intact,” Jade said, turning his attention to the pilot, “Are you alright?”

“I will be… I’m just… very dizzy…” Ginji managed to say, his head lolling to one side.

“Head injury; unsurprising. Let’s get back to Sheridan.” 

Jade moved to support Ginji’s other side, and the small group began their trek out of the highlands and back to the City of Craftsmen.

—

“Ginji—!” 

Noelle rushed out of the workshop and ran towards her brother, stopping just short of the group to look him over. The wound to his forehead seemed to have mostly stopped bleeding, but half his face was caked in dark, dried blood.

“Noelle, I’m back…” Ginji weakly managed to smile.

“Come on, I’m taking you to the hospital right now!”

Luke moved out of the way, offering Noelle his place in order to help support the pilot. She and Ginji shuffled off towards the rear of the city, with Guy trailing behind them - still clutching his side and much paler than he had been a few minutes ago.

“Well I’ll be damned, there really _was_ something wrong with one of the Albiore’s components!” came Iemon’s voice and Luke turned, seeing the group of elders appear outside their workshop, “I really didn’t want to believe you, but the moment that ship lost altitude I knew you were right.”

“Thank you for rescuing Ginji. Noelle would have been devastated by his loss. And Iemon _would have been,_ too, I’m sure,” Tamara said, frowning deeply at the man in question. Iemon just waved her off. 

“He’ll be _fine_ , the lad’s tough, but what of the Albiore? Were you able to recover it safely?” 

“Fon Master Ion and His Holiness were able to lower the ship via the cable launchers,” Jade said, “Though we haven’t had the chance to examine the status of the ship, given the need for medical attention.”

Tamara’s eyes widened as she realized the Fon Master was now a part of the assembled group. If this wasn’t a sign from Lorelei and Yulia that the Albiore was necessary for a higher purpose, she didn’t know what was.

“We’ll send a team out to recover the hover drive and get to work on installing it in the Albiore II. You brought Ginji back safely, we’ll let you borrow the ship for your rescue mission,” Aston smiled.

“Thank you, Aston,” Luke started, suddenly feeling dizzy with relief.

“No, thank _you._ If you weren’t here and didn’t alert us to the problem, we never would have been able to reach Ginji in time. We are forever indebted to you.”

“Please, feel free to rest in the workshop. It’ll be a little while before work on the overhaul can begin,” Tamara insisted.

“Ion,” Jade said as the elders made their way towards the hangar, “There’s something I need to discuss with Luke, privately. Why don’t you make sure Guy and the others made it safely to the hospital?”

“Oh? Alright, then. I’ll see you two a little later.”

As Ion turned, Luke reached out to grab his sleeve, but his hand fell short as the Fon Master walked away. Frozen to the spot, Luke watched as Ion headed towards the rear of the city and finally disappeared around a turn in the road. 

“Well then,” Jade said, causing Luke to jump a little, “Let’s head inside, shall we? This kind of conversation is not one to have out in the open.”

Luke could only try to swallow his panic and nod.

—

Jade didn't speak for several moments after the door closed, the tension in the workshop building as he waited to make sure no one was about to double back and interrupt the conversation. When at last he was sure no one was coming, he turned his cold gaze towards the Scion.

"We needed your assistance in the fight with Largo," he said in a tersely level voice, "If you'd done _anything,_ we may have been able to prevent him from escaping and reporting back to Van, saving ourselves quite a bit of time and energy, in addition to future headaches. I'm surprised Guy was able to fend him off so well, given his injuries - which have now, of course, been needlessly exacerbated.”

“I-I know—“

“ _Do you?_ ” Jade demanded, and Luke winced, “Because you also tried to pry Guy off of Sync after you so _foolishly_ thought to _offer yourself_ back to Van. You said, back in Aramis Spring, that you were going to fight. Imagine my disappointment to find you _frozen_ on the battlefield unable to raise your blade against our opponents—“

“Those are _people!_ ”

“They’re _enemies,_ Luke, and I expect you to know the difference between friend and foe. I understand your upbringing was vastly different from everyone else’s, and that you’ve never had to fight for yourself before or see such things, but—“

Luke snorted, his face burning as his anger reached its boiling point. 

“What the hell do you know about me or how I grew up?” he spat.

“I beg your pardon?” 

“You don’t know anything about me other than what the Order _wanted_ the public to know. No one knows what I’ve been through or what I’ve _seen_ over the years.”

“Enlighten me, then,” Jade challenged, “Tell me what you’ve been through that’s oh so terrible.”

Luke raised his gaze to meet Jade’s. 

“When I was ten, I killed a girl in the cathedral.”

“I’d heard something about that from Guy, and that it was an accident—“

“Accident or not, her blood is on my hands and it will _never_ wash off,” Luke hissed, “I can still see her face, hear her voice—but that’s not all. I…” 

He paused, taking a moment to breathe as a rush of emotion choked his voice. 

“When I was fourteen… I got stuck in multiple trances. I’d be in the library reading a book, or walking down a hallway, and suddenly I was in the middle of the Battle of Northern Chesedonia, watching soldiers slaughter each other all around me,” he continued, “I saw men do _horrible_ things to one another. Every single day, for over a week, I had to watch _and I couldn’t break out of it._ I still have nightmares; I can hear their screams and see them being burned alive, or sliced in half and I just want it to _stop!_ ”

He took in a stuttered breath, stray tears rolling down his cheek as his fingers sunk into the flesh of his arms.

Any retort died in Jade's throat, leaving a bitter taste like ash and snow. 

"...I'm sorry," he said softly, "I suppose I still find it difficult to accept your trances as fact, and that you are unable to free yourself from them... That you saw such things when you were only a child..." 

He moved as though to put his hand on the Scion's shoulder, but thought better of it. Instead, he drew a handkerchief from his pocket and offered it to Luke. 

"There's no sense in lingering on the past," he said, "Letting your grief and regret dictate your life won't bring anyone back from the dead. All that we can do is move forward, and try to make amends for our past actions.”

Luke silently took the handkerchief, using it to blot the tears away. He took in several deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. _We, huh?_ As loath as he was to admit it, it did make him feel a bit better to remember that Jade was more or less in the same boat as him.

“I’ve seen you, what you did at Chesedonia. I knew what you were capable of,” Luke mumbled, pulling along the edges of the handkerchief to keep his hands busy. “But I’ve never seen Guy like that before....”

“You saw me?”

“Yeah. To be honest I’m still scared of you, but at least I _know_ you’re dangerous. Guy… he’s… He was going to crush Sync’s throat. It felt so… so barbaric and _wrong._ Guy’s my best friend, he’s… he’s not a killer…”

"You forget that Guy was a God General," Jade said, "And your bodyguard. Although I will admit it was unlike him to neglect the use of his blade in that way. If he'd been smaller, or if it had gone on longer, Sync might have been able to overpower him and turn the tables." 

He sighed, rubbing his temples with the fingers of one hand. 

"Such troublesome children. I wonder how much longer I'll be obliged to chaperone you."

“I’m sorry…” Luke turned to face Jade fully, “I haven’t… I—“

He felt something rub up against his leg, and he looked down to see one of the yellow cheagles he’d rescued from Ortion Cavern. It mewed at him softly before nuzzling up against his calf. Luke chuckled weakly as he bent down and scooped it up into his arms.

“I, um… I hate feeling like such a coward. I can fight against monsters, but I know I’m not strong enough to fight when it comes to facing other people… And I know I can’t control my powers… But I want to learn. I destroyed Akzeriuth, and now St. Binah and Engeve are in danger. I can’t… I have no _right_ to let others fight for me. I have to make up for my mistakes…”

Jade took in a slow breath, studying the young man in front of him for several long moments. His words were sincere, he really did seem like he wanted to improve himself. However, Luke wouldn’t make much progress if he continued to let his fear control him.

“If I were to make a suggestion,” Jade started, “I would refrain from using that power of yours at all.”

“…What? What do you mean?”

“Your ability to look into the Score. In the past, you said you couldn’t control it, but that’s typically no longer the case, right?”

“Right…” Luke nodded warily.

“Then don’t rely on it. Stop looking into the Score, for past, present, and future events. Your reliance upon your power has hindered your ability to move forward on your own merits. For your own sake, and for that of others, you _must_ stop.”

Just… stop? He’d had this ability for nearly a decade now, he could barely even remember what his life was like before he could peer into the world’s memory and see what had been, what was, and what was to come. Hell, Aston just _thanked him_ for saving Ginji’s life, something that couldn’t have happened if he had not foreseen it!

“I imagine it would be akin to losing one of your senses—” Jade continued.

“That’s accurate,” Luke mumbled as he nervously pet the cheagle.

“—and that itself is frightening, but I do think it will be the fastest way to help you.”

“Why…? Why do you suddenly want to help me when I’ve done nothing but antagonize you? I revealed your involvement with fomicry, I—“

“I made a promise to His Majesty that I would watch over you; I don’t take promises lightly.”

Suddenly, it felt a bit easier for Luke to breathe. 

—

After Ginji and Guy's injuries had been treated—the latter being quickly released while the pilot was ordered to rest—Guy sat in the central workshop with Luke, mixing a bowl of dark hair dye.

"You're sure you want to do this?" he asked, "This stuff'll be permanent once it sets. It'll take months to go back to your natural color.”

Luke settled into his chair, his back to Guy as he nodded in confirmation.

“You’ve seen how people get around me when they realize who I am, and my hair’s a dead giveaway.”

“Alright, but don’t blame me if you hate how it looks and you decide you have to shave it all off.” 

Picking up a small brush, Guy dipped it into the dye before applying it to a portion of Luke’s hair. The brown stood out in stark contrast to the bright red, and he took a moment to silently study the new shade before continuing on. The two of them sat in a somewhat tense silence while he worked, with Luke squirming every now and then when the wet brush touched his scalp.

“This feels odd…” Luke said at last, “How long do I have to let the dye sit before I can wash it out?”

“The merchant said a half hour,” Guy responded, finishing up the right side of Luke’s hair.

“Man, half an hour’s gonna be torture… my head’s already starting to itch.”

Guy didn't say anything, just kept his eyes on what he was doing and continued working through sections of Luke's hair. Finally, keeping his thoughts to himself was too much to bear.

"Don't you ever pull anything like that again, you hear me?" he said, his voice quiet but full of rage all the same, "Don't ever offer to give up your life - to Van or anyone else!"

Luke held uncomfortably still. Guy had been mad at him a handful of times over the years, like when he tracked him and Natalia down on the ferry in Keterburg, but he’d never seen Guy truly _angry_ before. Guy’s voice may have been level, but Luke could _feel_ the emotion practically radiating off of him.

“…I know it was stupid—“

“So then why the hell did you do it?” Guy snapped, and Luke flinched. “You _saw_ exactly what Van was capable of with Akzeriuth, and you wanted to go _back_ to him?”

“I didn’t _want_ to!” Luke moved to stand up, pivoting to face Guy. “I never want to see that man again! But time was running out between trying to rescue Ginji and recovering Ion! I thought—I thought maybe, if I could remove Sync from the equation, you and Jade could—“

“Could what? It was still just me and Jade without support. Largo had us on the ropes and my stitches split open while trying to hold him off!”

“I’m _sorry,_ okay?!” Luke snapped right back at him. “I _know_ I was useless in that fight! Jade already gave me hell, I don’t need another lecture from you!”

“This isn’t about that, you idiot!” Guy set the bowl of dye down. “You scared me to death with that stunt of yours!”

“I— _I_ scared you? _You_ scared me! You were going to _kill_ Sync!”

"What did you want me to do, ask him very nicely to leave us alone?" Guy countered, "Luke, I know what Sync is capable of. He's a sadist! He was going to kill me and Jade, and then lead you to your death with Van - taking the rest of the world with you. Is that what you want? Or do you want to stop all of this?”

“I know! I _know_ the God Generals are bad, I _know_ they have to be stopped, that Van has to be stopped. I may not have been conscious for Akzeriuth’s collapse, but I remember the aftermath. But… when you… when you attacked Sync… I don’t…”

“What, Luke?”

Luke swallowed hard as he chewed on his bottom lip.

“I… remember how _horrible_ I felt—still feel—when I killed Alara. Even if you were trying to protect us, to… to stop Van’s plans, I… I don’t want you to have to feel like that.”

Guy blinked, staring wide eyed. How was he supposed to answer that...? He certainly didn't _relish_ killing, but it didn't throw him into a depression every single time he dispatched an enemy. 

"Luke... Thank you for your concern,” he started, “But… fighting an enemy isn't like accidentally killing someone. It's kill or be killed. I... I don't like doing it, but if it means you—or anyone else I care about—gets to live, then I'll do it. Without a second thought.”

Luke laughed bitterly.

Jade was a battle-hardened soldier, Guy a trained ex-God General and bodyguard, Tear a Locrian officer, Anise - his _baby sister_ \- was a bodyguard to the Fon Master. Even Natalia, raised as a princess, could face the destruction of a war head on. He felt so weak and out of place. He didn’t have the resolve to truly fight, to accept that the world was kill or be killed.

“It’s funny,” he finally said in a slightly strangled tone, “For my whole life I wanted out of the cathedral, and now that I’m free, I really miss how simple everything was…”

"Yeah, I can't imagine how overwhelming it must be," Guy said as he uncrossed his arms and let his shoulders relax, "Luckily, you've got all of us to support you until you can face the world on your own. Even then, you won't be _all_ by yourself; I'm sure Her Highness is going to stick to your side like glue once we get back to Yulia City, and I—“

_—I'll be waiting for the perfect opportunity, like always._

The sinister thought was so brief, Guy barely even recognized it. He'd left that part of himself behind years ago.

“—I'll stick around as long as you want me to.”

Luke took in a slow, shaky breath before forcing himself to smile.

Right. He wasn’t alone. He had friends and family that wanted to stand by him. Guy was right, everything had been so overwhelming he’d almost forgotten.

“What was it that you told me that day all those years ago?” Luke brought a hand up to rub at his eyes before he sniffled, “That I was stuck with you, for better or worse?”

“Yep, I did say that. And I meant it.”

“Right. Good. I don’t want you to go anywhere. You’re my best friend.”

“And you’re mine,” Guy smiled back at him, “And as your best friend, I’m going to call you out on your _dumb_ choices and get angry with you if you ever try to do something that stupid again, you hear me?”

“Yeah…” Luke conceded with a nod.

“And as your best friend, I’m also going to advise you to sit back down so I can finish applying this dye, otherwise it’ll come out uneven and you’ll have no choice but to shave it all off.”

“Okay, okay...”

He retook his seat and held still as Guy began to apply the dye again. 

“Guy… Thanks… I really don’t know what I’d do without you.”

"Be stuck dyeing your own hair, probably," Guy laughed, "Score knows Natalia wouldn't do it for you. I hope you're prepared to deal with her temper.”

Luke shuddered at the thought; Natalia was _not_ going to be fond of his new look, or be happy with how late they would be getting back to Yulia City.

—

Stepping out of the workshop’s washroom, Luke scrubbed his hair dry with a hand towel. Rinsing the itchy, foul-smelling dye out in the sink felt sinfully good.

“Well, let’s see,” Guy said, gesturing for Luke to remove the towel, “Wow… brunette’s a pretty good color on you.”

“You think so?” 

“Yeah - though I can hardly recognize you.”

“Good. No more hoods or slinking around back alleys. I can finally walk the streets without being mobbed or prayed to—“

The main door to the workshop swung open, and the three elderly mechanics walked in.

“Oh! Goodness!” Tamara gasped upon seeing Luke’s new look, “My word, you look so different!”

“That was the intention.” Luke grinned.

“The team we’ve sent out has recovered the hover drive and brought it back in one piece,” Aston announced, “We’ll get to work right away to implement it into the Albiore II.”

“However, the process will take a day, at least. We’ve booked a room for you at the inn,” Iemon added.

"Thanks, it's much appreciated,” Guy said.

"Nonsense; it's the least we could do to repay you for saving Ginji," Tamara said, "That boy, honestly... he'll be lucky if I ever let him near a machine again!”

"You'll have a hard time keeping him away, once he’s up and about" Iemon chuckled, "Now then, let's get to work - we've got a lot to do, and not much time to do it.”

"And this time, we're going to _quadruple_ check the calibration of every little piece," Tamara scolded, before turning to Luke and Guy, "Since Ginji is still recovering, Noelle will have to serve as your pilot. We’ll send her to fetch you when everything’s ready.”

With that, the three elders exited the workshop as quickly as they could, and made their way back towards the hangar to begin work on the Albiore II. As they left, Luke looked over at Guy.

“Do you want to go help them?” he asked, “I’m sure they’d welcome your assistance.”

“I think I’d just get in their way, but I would love to watch them work and see how the inside of the Albiore’s laid out. They said before that it was based on old Dawn Age tech crossed with modern fontech, and I’ve yet to see a clean fusion of the two—“

“Go check it out, then,” Luke gestured for Guy to follow the engineers, “You might not ever get another opportunity like this, and I don’t want you to miss out.”

“I... Are you sure? You were pretty upset earlier so I don’t want to leave you alone if you’re not—“

“I’ll be fine,” Luke assured him, “I think some time alone is what I need, actually. I’ll do some meditation in the inn for a couple hours, think about some things.”

“Alright. If you need me, you know where I’ll be.” Guy waved before jogging to catch up with the surprisingly spry elders of Sheridan’s Class M.

—

Hours later, Guy dragged himself into their shared room at the inn. He couldn't believe how quickly time had passed - what he'd thought was just a couple hours turned out to be closer to six, although Class M had shown no signs of tiring even as he reluctantly left the hangar.

He could barely keep his eyes open long enough to check on Luke, whispering a barely audible apology to the sleeping Scion before pulling off his boots and gingerly crawling under the covers of his bed. He didn’t even bother to change out of his day clothes. Staring at the ceiling, he wondered why he wasn't falling asleep when he felt so exhausted, and then…

_Everything was dark._

_Guy could hear the distant sounds of screams, of fighting, of fire consuming the manor. He clenched his teeth and braced himself; what would it be this time? Duke Fabre running him through with his blade? His family's reanimated corpses pulling him into the fray? Some sick and twisted version of a birthday celebration, with his father’s head presented as the main course?_

_Over the sounds of Kimlascan forces assaulting Hod, he heard a child, whimpering in terror. He looked down and in the gloom, could make out the figures of three children: two blondes, and a redhead - all of them no more than five or six years old, huddled together in the parlor’s fireplace._

_Wait, had he always been crouched in there with them, too?_

_"Guy, he's coming!” whispered Natalia, tugging on the hem of his shirt. There were tears in her eyes, and her lip was trembling the way it did when she couldn’t keep up a brave face any longer._

_"Don't let him get us!” Luke pleaded._

_"It's alright. You're safe with me," Guy tried to reassure them, hearing footfalls growing ever closer, "Just... stay back.”_

_"You're lying," his child self insisted in a chillingly flat tone, "He's going to kill us. He's going to kill all of us. He’s been waiting for this. He's going to kill Luke, then Natalia, and then you. And there's nothing you can do to stop it.”_

_"No, I won't let that happen!"_

_Luke and Natalia's sobs grew louder, both of them clinging to Guy as he tried to hush them. His desperate attempts were futile, though. Soon their cries filled his head, interrupted only by the sound of the door being broken down. It burst inwards with a crash, and Guy drew his sword._

_Cato the Blazing stood in the doorframe, face set in a death glare as he stepped towards their meager hiding place._

Blue eyes shot open, and Guy bolted upright gasping for air. His pulse pounded in his ears, and beads of cold sweat rolled down the sides of his face. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry and his stomach churned. He pulled his knees up into his chest as he combed his hands through his hair.

_What… what was that?_

He forced himself to take slow, measured breaths, and after a few moments he felt his heart rate begin to calm. Once the rush of emotions had worn off, he replayed the dream again in his mind and tried to trace its source. 

For his own God General self to attack him… Fighting against both Largo and Sync back to back in one day? He’d spent so much of his life serving the Order, serving _Van,_ of course he was having an identity crisis.

Still… that ice cold glare… Seeing himself like that, even through a dream, was unnerving… And why had Luke and Natalia both been there?

“…top…”

Guy turned at the faint noise. Luke was still curled up, asleep in his bed.

“Sto.. stop… Stop fighting… please…”

Gently he pulled himself out of bed, tip-toeing over to Luke’s bedside so as to not wake either Jade or Ion. He crouched down, extending his arm out to ~~smother him with a pillow~~ gently shake Luke’s shoulder.

“Hey, Luke,” he whispered.

“Huh?!” 

Luke’s eyes opened, and he sat upright as he quickly glanced around the room. Still dark, the middle of the night. 

“Guy…? What…?”

“You were moaning in your sleep. Were you having a bad dream?” Guy asked as he moved to sit on the bed next to Luke.

Luke scrubbed at his face with his hands.

“Yeah… Yeah. Chesedonia again… I’ll be okay. What’re you doing up?”

“Bad dream of my own,” Guy admitted.

“Anything you want to talk about?” 

“Nah,” Guy said, “It’s not really worth mentioning; I already can’t remember most of it. But we should be getting back to sleep, Class M made a huge amount of progress yesterday, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Noelle came to get us first thing in the morning.”

“Uh-huh. Like you’ll go back to sleep now. I bet you’re counting the minutes until we’re on board.”

“How can you _not_ be excited?” Guy said with a grin, “Don’t tell me you’ve never thought of what it’s like to fly?”

“I mean, I _did_ foresee the Albiore crashing into the cliffs and what happened to Ginji—“

“Alright, point taken, but seriously, get yourself back to sleep. No bad dreams this time, alright?”

Luke gave Guy a small smile. “Same for you.”

“Alright, alright...” Guy said, playfully rolling his eyes before pulling Luke in for a brief hug, “Man, just a few months out of the cathedral and you’re getting pretty good at giving orders.”

He gently ruffled the Scion’s hair before letting go and heading back to his own bed for the rest of the night.

—

Just as Guy predicted, Noelle arrived at the inn to collect them early the next morning. 

"Alright, let's do this!" she said with a determined grin that reminded Guy just a little bit of Natalia. 

His comparison ended there, however, as the prospect of setting foot on the Albiore II settled in; not even the memory of the previous day's crash could dent his enthusiasm. 

"Are you sure this machine is capable of making such a long flight?" Jade asked Noelle as they stepped on board. 

"Of course I'm sure. Besides, it doesn't sound like you have any other options,” she said as she sat down into the pilot seat and began fiddling with the various switches and toggles of the Albiore’s control panel.

Luke and Ion stepped into the ship after them, each of them carrying one of the cheagles in their arms. 

“Whoa…” Luke marveled at how sleek the interior of the ship was. The glass dome of windows encasing the cockpit offered up a nice panoramic view of the hangar.

“Quite. Well then, if everyone’s settled, we should depart,” Jade said as he took one of the vacant seats.

“Roger that!” Noelle grinned, twisting a few knobs before pushing a big button on her dashboard.

The engines roared to life, and the ship started to vibrate before everything fell into a steady hum. Overhead the roof of the hangar opened up, and Ion, Guy, and Luke all let out various noises of exclamation as the ship began to rise.

“Next stop, St. Binah!”

—

Convincing Field Marshal McGovern and his son, Glen McGovern, two of the most prominent men in St. Binah, to evacuate the city was no small task. Jade’s rank and relationship with the Emperor gave their story some clout, but neither man was ready to believe St. Binah was at risk of sudden collapse. Even with the increased earthquakes, and Luke adding his own comments - noting that St. Binah could become the next Akzeriuth, they didn’t seem inclined to listen.

Thankfully, Ion was more than willing to corroborate Jade and Luke’s warnings. Having backing from the Supreme Leader of the Order did the trick, and Glen McGovern instructed the city guard to spread the word for a mandatory city-wide evacuation.

The Albiore wasn’t large enough to carry the city’s entire population; the elderly, injured or infirm citizens - along with expectant mothers, and children were boarded onto the airship, while the able bodied were expected to evacuate on foot. The planned route would stop in Engeve, allowing them to warn the people of the Grocer’s Hamlet to evacuate as well, and from there they would make their way to Chesedonia.

The large influx of people would definitely strain Chesedonia’s resources, but Ion was already prepared to ask for forgiveness and offer what aid the Order could extend.

—

“That’s the last of them,” Guy said as the final passenger from St. Binah, an elderly man with a walking stick, hobbled out of the Albiore and into the hot sands of Chesedonia.

“We actually did it…”

Luke sank down into his seat in disbelief. First he managed to rescue the pilot and now the people of St. Binah and Engeve were going to be safe. Finally, things were going _right_ for once.

"Indeed. Evacuating an entire town is no small feat," Jade said, "And only a day over our initial schedule. I'm sure even Her Highness won't begrudge our tardiness once you and Guy have explained the cause.”

"Wait, why are you dragging me into this?!" 

"Well, you are Luke's bodyguard, aren't you? Shouldn't you be the one to protect him from Natalia's wrath?”

“That wasn’t exactly a part of my job description…” Guy muttered.

“You’re meeting someone else?” Noelle asked as she pivoted her seat to face the others.

“Ah, yes, a couple of our companions are waiting for us in Yulia City—that city in the Qliphoth we mentioned before,” Guy explained, “We were supposed to meet back up with them yesterday, but our plans changed due to the evacuation effort.”

“Yulia City… how are we supposed to get there from here?” Noelle wondered aloud.

In theory they could fly down through the hole where Akzeriuth had once been, but that was _miles_ in the opposite direction. The group was already a day over schedule, and the Albiore II had certainly been put through its paces; adding that much additional travel time and stress to the air ship wasn’t optimal. 

“There’s a hidden entryway in Aramis Spring over on Padamiya,” Ion said.

“Padamiya? That’s still quite a ways from here. I’ll need to do a little work on the Albiore II to make sure we have a smooth flight—“

“How long?” Luke asked as he kept his gaze fixed on the cheagles sleeping in one of the empty seats, “How long do we have to stay here for?”

“A couple hours at the most, I just need to make a few adjustments and recalibrate my instruments. You should be able to stock up on any supplies you’ll need and grab some food while I get my work done.”

“Jade,” Ion said, “Would you accompany me to Astor’s manor? I have several apologies to make to him.”

“Certainly,” Jade obliged as he escorted the Fon Master off the ship.

Guy looked over at Luke with a small smile.

“Hey, why don’t we go get something to eat? There’s a tavern here that serves a really famous mabo curry dish—“

“No,” Luke said a little too quickly, “No, I’ll… I’ll stay on the ship till we’re ready to leave.”

Guy frowned, feeling the tension radiating off of Luke. He couldn't blame him, considering the nightmare he’d had just before leaving Sheridan, but leaving him alone to stew wasn't going to do the Scion any favors.

"Ah, probably a good idea anyway," he said, dropping into the seat beside Luke, "Now that I think about it, eating spicy curry and then traveling at high speeds is probably a recipe for disaster. I don't know about you, but I personally want to make sure I enjoy every moment possible in this marvel.”

He glanced at Luke again, hoping not pressing the issue had been the right call.

"So, how should we kill time until we're ready to leave again? Cards?”

Luke couldn’t help but smile before he nodded, some of the tension leaving his body.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun.”

“Good, I’ve been meaning to trounce you again,” Guy taunted as he pulled out a deck of cards from his travel bag. He shuffled them with ease, quickly dealing out cards between them, “Gotta keep my streak intact, y’know?”

“Those are fighting words,” Luke said as he picked up his hand, looking at his options. “Guy… thanks. Again.”

“You’re welcome, but you won’t be saying that when you lose.”

“Oh, you’re _on._ ”

—

Ion returned with Jade nearly an hour later looking rather haggard. Despite the reverence Astor showered upon Ion, that conversation regarding the refugees from not one but _two_ of Malkuth’s cities made things… trying, to say the least. Tempers were soothed, feathers were unruffled, but it had taken nearly all of Ion’s diplomatic skill. He took his seat and closed his eyes, letting out a sigh he’d been holding in since they left the guild leader’s manor.

“Astor and the guild have been placated, but he wishes to speak to Emperor Peony sometime soon to further discuss what to do with the sheer _number_ of refugees, and request financial aid from the Crown.”

“Understandable,” Luke said as one of the cheagles hopped off his lap and into Ion’s, “Thanks for that; it couldn’t have been an easy conversation.”

“How’s progress with the Albiore?” Jade asked.

“Just about finished!” Noelle called out through the hatch in the Albiore’s roof.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Guy offered.

"Not sure what help you'd be able to offer if I had to remind you to stop ogling the machinery every five minutes," Noelle teased, "Besides, it's almost done. Just have to tighten this up and... there!”

The pilot quickly stashed her tools and hopped back into the cockpit, wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.

"Phew. And I thought Sheridan was warm," she said, "So now onto Padamiya, right? I'll try to get you there as quickly as possible since your friends are waiting on you, but going that far is really going to depend on the weather…"

“Oh, I can che—“ Luke started, but a quiet look from Jade stopped him, “I’m sure we’ll get there in good time.”

—

Forgoing Port Daath, Noelle landed the aircraft on a flat stretch of land just outside of Aramis Spring. It was hardly inconspicuous, having a giant ship off the main road where travelers and pilgrims alike walked between the holy city and the port, but they didn’t have the luxury of time right now.

"Should I wait for you here?" Noelle asked as the group prepared to disembark, "I might have to leave and circle back - with things the way they are, Sheridan really can't afford to draw Daath's attention.”

“We’ll most assuredly need the Albiore to travel again, once we’ve reconvened with the other members of our group,” Jade said, “It shouldn’t take us long to return, but use your discretion. If you feel the need to vacate, do so. We’ll keep to the treeline for two hours before finding alternate arrangements.”

“Alright. Be safe,” Noelle said, waving them off as they exited the aircraft.

—

They descended into the caverns, the light of day disappearing behind them as the water-cooled air sent a small shiver down Ion’s spine. This place always felt cold, and it didn’t matter if he wore long sleeves or not. Holding onto one of the group’s newly adopted cheagles for a bit of extra warmth, he couldn’t help but smile as he ran his fingers through its silky soft fur.

“Have you thought of names for them yet?” he asked.

Luke looked to the cheagle perched on his shoulder. 

“Names? No, not really.”

“Not like we’re really able to tell them apart, anyways,” Guy mused.

“Well, I can, since the one Ion’s holding has no connection to the Score, but that doesn’t really help you guys,” Luke said, “Maybe if we gave them different colored collars or something?”

“Seems wrong to put collars on beasts the Order considers to be sacred,” replied Guy.

“Agreed,” Ion nodded, “Although it also feels wrong to not grace our new friends with names of their own.”

“Alright well… What about Star, or maybe Twinkle? They both have that mark on their hea—“ 

Luke came to an abrupt halt upon seeing several monster corpses. Some had been bashed in, others seemingly smacked up against the cave walls. And they were all very, very fresh.

“I was wondering why we haven’t come across any monsters considering the number we had to fight through on our way out of here,” Jade said, “It looks like we’ll be meeting Anise in Yulia City as well.”

“Anise? How can you tell?” Luke asked.

“The wounds on those monsters resemble those made by a mace, and those up against the wall were flung by something large, like Anise’s puppet. She likely came through here to rejoin Natalia and Tear.”

“Oh man, I hope she’s okay, this is… a lot…” Luke grimaced.

“I know you worry about your sister, but Anise is a lot stronger than she appears. I’ve no doubt in my mind she is just fine,” Ion said, and Luke flashed him an appreciative smile.

“Nevertheless, keep your guard up. Who knows how many more monsters lie in wait,” Jade advised as he continued onward, stepping past the monster massacre without so much a second glance.

—

Finally, they had reached the end of the spring. Ion activated the entrance to the Yulian Road with a Daathic arte, opening the way to the hidden city deep below. In a flash, the spring was gone, and they stood in the heart of Yulia City itself.

“Ugh…” Guy groaned, nearly doubled over, “The ride up is a lot smoother than the ride down…”

“Are you alright?” Ion asked in concern, but Guy was quick to wave him off.

“Just a little nausea; I’ve never been all that fond of fonic elevators,” Guy admitted as he straightened back up, “I’m fine, it’s gone now.”

“You never complained when visiting my room in the cathedral,” Luke said and Guy chuckled.

“A couple stories is vastly different to several miles.”

“Tear and Natalia should have been discharged from the hospital by now, so let us find—“ Jade started, but Luke held his hand up to interrupt him as he stared intensely off into space. “—Luke?”

“I don’t hear it…” Luke said.

“Hear what?” Ion asked as Luke brought his hands to cup his ears.

After another moment of silence, Luke’s concern only intensified. 

“Tear’s fonon frequency. I can’t hear it.”

“Tear?” Jade asked, “I’d have thought you’d be on the lookout for Natalia’s frequency.”

“I… don’t know how to really explain it. Tear’s frequency has _always_ stood out more than anyone else’s. It’s easier to hear hers than it is to block it out.”

"Maybe we missed them," Guy suggested, trying to think of where the girls would have gone from Yulia City, "Or maybe Tear just isn't around right now. Try listening for Natalia, or Anise." 

"Yes, given what we saw in Aramis Spring, there's a high probability that Anise is here, even if Tear and Natalia have already left," Jade agreed. However, tuning into Anise's fonon frequency quickly became unnecessary as the young girl ran towards them.

“Luke?!" she said, eyes wide, “What… your hair! And Guy, Colonel, Ion - what are you doing here?”

“Anise!” Luke extended his arms out to her and she eagerly accepted the hug, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a hearty squeeze, “Are you alright? What happened in Daath when Ion got taken? Where did Natalia and Tear go?”

“That’s what I’m trying to tell you, you big dummy!” Anise looked up at Luke with a frown and she hit her hands against his chest a couple times, “Natalia and Tear got taken by the Order! I was about to go back to Daath to try and figure out what to do when I heard someone say you’d stepped off the Yulian Road!”

Luke felt a chill, like his blood had frozen.

“What? When?!” Guy demanded.

“How can you not know!?” Anise glared up at Luke, “Didn’t you _promise_ Natalia that you’d watch over her through the Score?”

“I—I did… I—“ Luke stammered.

"Then what were you _doing?_ " Anise demanded, "And you're late, too!”

"Anise, there was a lot going on," Guy said, "Can you please just tell us what happened? How did the Order get ahold of Natalia and Tear?”

The young girl scrubbed a hand over her face and took a big breath.

"After Largo took Ion, Legretta came into the cathedral with a bunch of Oracle Knights and Natalia and Tear. I came down here to see what had happened, and I guess Legretta had stopped in to check up on Tear, but it was late and she left before seeing them. The mayor said Natalia and Tear were gone the next night - they must have heard about Legretta and tried to run before she came back."

"And I'm sure Legretta was laying in wait just outside of Aramis Spring to ambush them," Jade surmised with a nod, "Clever to flush them out like that, especially while they were still recovering. No doubt they couldn’t have put up much of a fight.”

“Oh _man…_ ” Luke dragged his fingers through his hair.

He could feel panic start to set in. His chest felt tight, and thoughts of worst case scenarios - of Natalia and Tear both being tortured by Van and the God Generals in an attempt to lure him back to their clutches - pressed into his mind, even as he tried to force them back.

“Luke, take a breath,” Jade instructed, “We’ll formulate a plan and get them both back safely, but to do that we all need to remain level-headed.”

“How?” Luke asked. 

“I suggest you use that gift of yours to figure out where our companions are being held.”

“I thought you said I shouldn’t rely on—“

“My initial advice to you may have been... misguided. We’ll have to determine some other way to keep you from being consumed by anxiety. However, we have more pressing matters at hand, so if you wouldn’t mind...”

“Okay,” Luke nodded, taking in a deep, level breath before peering into the past.

_Tear was easier to find, her fonon frequency chimed almost annoyingly loud as Luke sifted through time. She sat patiently upon a sofa in a small but well decorated room by herself, looking rather bored but otherwise unbothered. There were no windows or any major identifying markers to immediately pinpoint where she was, but Luke recognized the standard furniture and decor used by the Order of Lorelei._

Luke broke the trance and shook his head, glancing over to his companions who all stared at him expectantly.

“Tear’s somewhere in the cathedral. She’s safe, for now. I didn’t see anyone else with her.”

“Where in the cathedral?” Guy asked and Luke shrugged.

“I don’t know, I didn’t recognize the area. There weren’t any windows—“

“The barracks. Tear’s being held underground,” Guy answered swiftly, “You’ve never been down there before so it’s no surprise you didn’t recognize it.”

“What about Natalia? Where’s she?” Ion asked.

“I don’t know yet, I’ll look again.”

_Grand Maestro Mohs and a squad of Oracle Knights stepped off a ship and onto the docks of Baticul's harbor. In the middle of the group stood Natalia, her head bowed and her hands bound behind her back. There were dark circles under her eyes, and she winced as the soldiers moved forward - forcing her to either keep pace or be stepped on._

_"Get out of the way!" Mohs demanded as a few citizens dared to crowd about the group in curiosity, "We have a personal audience with his Royal Majesty, King Ingobert VI!”_

_The citizens quickly stepped back, whispering to one another. Had Princess Natalia been found? It was impossible to see past the Oracle Knights; if they were guarding her, she was certainly well protected…_

_The march continued through the streets, and it seemed as though Mohs was taking the longest possible route to the castle. His voice and the presence of so many Oracle Knights had nearly every resident of the Capital of Light pausing to look on at the procession. The clanking of the guards' armor covered up Natalia's ragged breathing as she walked on her still-healing injury and tried to beat back panic. A thin sheen of sweat prickled on her brow._

_As the castle came into view, Natalia raised her head at last to look upon the fortress she had once called home. They were led through the doors with little fanfare, and she turned to try and catch one last glimpse of her beloved city._

_"Face front!" one of the knights growled, giving her a quick shove between the shoulders._

_Natalia stumbled forwards and straightened her posture before she could give in to the urge to make herself small. Behind them, Baticul disappeared as the doors slammed shut._


	16. Sedition

Rescuing Tear from the Order was almost trivial. 

While Ion and Anise stayed behind with Noelle on the Albiore, Luke, Guy, and Jade infiltrated the cathedral. Guy’s recent time as a God General was crucial - the guard rotation and patrol schedule hadn’t been changed since he left Daath. From there, all they had to do was follow Luke as he listened for Tear’s fonon frequency. They found her in the deepest, furthest recesses of the barracks, guarded by a handful of low ranking grunts who were quickly incapacitated by Guy and Jade. 

“Tear!” Luke called as he pushed the door open.

“Luke?”

Tear startled to attention and then blinked, staring at him.

“Is… that you? What happened to your hai—“

“Dyed it, not important. We have to go, now!” he urged, gesturing for her to follow after them as the group began backtracking the way they came.

"Mohs took Natalia—" 

"We know," Guy said, "Luke checked in the Score, they're already at the castle." 

"It'll take us days to get there," she said as the group raced out of the cathedral, "The Grand Maestro... he's determined to uphold the Score, which means—“

"I know!" Luke snapped as they turned a corner and ran up a flight of stairs.

They managed to reach the Albiore with none the wiser. Taking one look at them, Noelle readied the controls.

"Where to?"

"Baticul," Guy said as the fon machine took to the skies, "And do you think you can manage a landing on the top level? We're short on time.”

“You want me to land right at the castle? I can’t do that!”

“I’m technically royalty, even if my titles were stripped, you have my permission,” Luke said but Noelle quickly shook her head.

“It’s not just about permission. The way Baticul is constructed... there may not be enough room to land safely.”

“Just do what you can,” Jade said, ignoring Luke's deepening scowl, “A crash would set us back more than landing further away."  
“What… is this thing?” Tear asked as she peered out of the domed cockpit, watching the land disappear from view as they flew over the sea. “I’ve never seen anything like this before. And... where did you get _cheagles_ of all things?”

She leaned in a little close to the fluffy creatures, trying to conceal her excitement.

“Yeah, and Luke, you better explain that hair of yours,” Anise said.

“We’ll get you up to speed - it's going to be a long flight,” Guy said as he took his seat.

Where to start, though? He closed his eyes, trying to think of the best way to sum up everything that had happened in the last week... 

~~_Bright red blood, the color of the Kimlascan flag, spilling across the paving stones in the castle courtyard as the princess's pretty head was held up for the crowd to see - her blond hair shining like gold in the sunlight._ ~~

Guy bit his cheek, trying to clear the image from his head. No, no... he was just worried for her. Worried for _all_ of them. It was only natural his thoughts would drift that way.

"Right. So, Belkend…"

Even with the Albiore hastening their travel speeds, the flight to Baticul was torturously long. Luke slipped into the Score multiple times, keeping watch over Natalia as he should have before. Occasionally, Jade would gently shake him back to the present, with a look that told Luke he'd lingered too long. 

“—and that’s how we got here,” Guy concluded his story.

“Whoa… you managed to evacuate _St. Binah_ and Engeve?” Anise asked in disbelief.

“Yes,” Ion nodded, “It was a monumental task, but Luke’s determination, the skills of class I, and Noelle's ability as a pilot made it possible.”

Luke’s cheeks flushed slightly. Considering Guy and Jade had both scolded him for his actions, it was… nice hearing someone praise him for his efforts instead.

"And you saved Ginji. I still don't know how I can thank you enough," Noelle added, though she didn't look up as she kept the Albiore on course. 

"You've done more than enough for us," Guy said, "We'd be in much worse shape if it weren't for the Albiore and your skills.”

It was only a few moments later when the spires of Baticul's castle came into view. Guy scanned the area outside, trying to see if a scaffold was being erected, or if the citizens were crowding the plaza, but from this distance everything looked totally normal.

Luke held his breath as Noelle flew the ship closer to the city. 

This place—he’d been here countless times before through the Score. He was familiar with the castle and his parent’s estate, and the coliseum felt like a second home with all of its grand festivals and impressive tournaments. Nothing looked any different, and yet seeing it in person felt exhilarating. This was his home.

He was finally _home._

“Dammit!” 

Noelle executed a tight turn away from the top tier of the city. 

“I’m sorry, it’s just too narrow, and the commons are too busy with people. Landing that close is impossible. The best I can do is the area outside the city directly next to the bridge.”

“That’s it?” Luke asked, his expression tightening as reality set back in. 

“We’re going to have to fight our way up,” Jade sighed as he shook his head, “And here I was hoping we’d be able to forgo sparking yet _another_ diplomatic incident.”

“No, no fighting,” Luke shook his head before looking to Tear, “You can use your hymns to put guards to sleep.”

“Yes, but my hymns are not indefinite. Casting takes time and energy, and I'm still recovering my voice...”

"It would take us hours to get through the city like that," Guy said, his stomach sinking as they moved further and further from the castle, "Fighting our way up isn't an option, either. Baticul is the largest city in the world; even if we didn't get completely outnumbered, by the time we got to the castle we'd be exhausted.”

"What are we gonna do?" Anise moaned. Even if she wasn't Natalia's biggest fan, she still couldn't imagine leaving the princess to her fate, given what her Score was supposed to be. Besides, she'd be a damn better ruler than her father was if she could just take the throne.

“Whatever we _can_ ,” Luke settled on as the Albiore slowly touched back down onto the ground before the engines cut.

—

Baticul’s commons were especially crowded today, just as Noelle had said. In fact, it was so busy it seemingly rivaled the turnout for large festivals, like the Might of Fight in the coliseum. But the atmosphere was far from joyous—in fact the crowd felt agitated, restless, upset, and curious. People gathered by the elevator leading up to the noble quarter, and although words could not be heard from this distance, it was easy to see a clash happening between the people and the guards.

“Stop keeping us in the dark!” A man yelled as a Kimlascan soldier roughly shoved him back into the crowd, “We all saw that Daathic procession! What is happening with the Princess!?”

“Is Princess Natalia okay?” A woman cried out, “I heard she was in chains!”

“What have you done with our Princess?!” Another man lunged forward, trying to tackle into the guards.

Luke stood still as he watched the people start to turn against the guards. The crowd was so thick just getting near the elevator seemed impossible. Even then, how would they get on it? No one would believe he was either nobility or the Scion with his new hair color, and Natalia's time was running out. Wasting precious seconds arguing with the guards over who he was could be the difference in finding her alive or dead.

How the hell were they going to reach the castle…?

An idea quickly began to form in Luke's mind. The thought of trying to talk to _so many_ different people at once made his stomach hurt, but this was bound to get them to the upper levels. Looking around, Luke found a tall lamp post nearby. That would have to work.

“Luke, where are you—Luke?!” Guy gasped as Luke hurriedly climbed his way up the tall post.

“What is he doing _now?”_ Jade asked in disbelief. That boy was the definition of "no impulse control."

Luke took a moment to steady himself, making sure his feet were firmly planted on the decorative metal fixtures. Once he was sure he was secure, he muttered a silent prayer, took a deep breath, and addressed the people of Baticul.

“EVERYONE! LISTEN!” he shouted, his voice unnaturally loud - enough that those closest to him yelped and covered their ears. The commotion in the commons quieted down and almost all eyes were quickly upon him, “Princess Natalia is in _danger!_ Daath brought her here to have her tried and executed for treason!”

A collective gasp rose from the crowd and the shouts began again - louder this time. 

"Is it true, what that boy said?”

"What are you doing?! Aren't you supposed to protect the princess?”

"Let us through! Someone has to save her!”

"C-calm down!" one of the guards said, "What does he know? He's just some random kid! The castle hasn't said anything about Daath's presence in the city, so just go back to what you were doing and an official notice will be sent out later.”

“It’ll be too late if we don’t act now!” Luke argued. He remembered, back in Grand Chokmah, that Natalia had drafted a letter to the people to lay the groundwork of softening the blow of her true heritage. 

“They're calling her a usurper!” Luke said, his voice carrying all throughout the commons, “They intend to condemn her for crimes that weren't hers to commit - for being born to a handmaid and a caravan guard, and for being switched at birth with the stillborn princess!”

A collective gasp went through the crowd. Even the guard seemed to be listening to him.

“The Scion of Lorelei foresaw her execution and fled with her to Grand Chokmah to spare her life! Do you not recall the publications with her letters?”

"They - they said that was Malkuth propaganda!" A guard stammered.

"It wasn't!" Ion said, stepping up to make his soft voice heard, "Princess Natalia wrote those letters herself and sent them out to assure her people that all would be well. Grand Maestro Mohs has gone rogue and intends to have her highness murdered for his own ends. I, Fon Master Ion, condemn these actions and will see to it the Grand Maestro is dealt with appropriately, but first we need to get through to the castle!”

—

"Do you deny the charges set against you?" 

Natalia refused to let Goldberg and Mohs see even the slightest trace of fear in her expression as they questioned her in her chambers, but how on Auldrant was she supposed to answer that? Even after all that time in Yulia City's hospital, speaking was still painful. If she could have some water, she might have managed it, but her captors had not been in the mood for mercy.

"No answer?" Goldberg sneered, "You're practically flaunting your guilt! Come, now. You were at least _raised_ as a princess. Be a good girl and confess to your crimes, and his Majesty might show you some mercy." 

Natalia shook her head, opening her mouth to force a response - if she could just _explain_ , perhaps she might be granted a personal audience with the king to plead her case - when she heard a familiar voice that seemed to come from everywhere.

_“EVERYONE! LISTEN! Princess Natalia is in danger! Daath brought her here to have her tried and executed for treason!”_

"...Well, I suppose there's little time left to do this civilly," Mohs said, nodding to the Oracle Knight beside him, "You. Dispatch the traitor. Don't worry, we'll tell his majesty she died by her own hand like the craven traitor she is.”

With that, the Grand Maestro swept from the room with Goldberg trailing in his wake. For a moment the Oracle Knight stared at the princess, his hand on the hilt of his blade, before he swallowed hard and drew.

Natalia felt adrenaline hit her bloodstream like a bolt of lightning. Putting her faith in her agility against his size and strength, she retreated; taking shelter behind a tea table and bringing her still-cuffed hands up in front of her body. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, searching for an opening. She just had to get _out._

The knight lunged and she dodged, seizing a vase and hurling it at the window.

—

Ingobert sat atop his throne, his younger sister and brother-in-law to one side, his council to the other, and a handful of irate nobles before him. He stared out into nothingness, hearing words coming from all sides and not registering any of them. How could he when he learned that his daughter, his dear, quarrelsome, bright Natalia, was not actually his flesh and blood?

Susanne argued this all had to be some kind of mistake. Daath didn’t know what they were talking about, this was ludicrous, how could they even think of treating Natalia this way? Something had to be _done_ before it was too late.

But he knew it was the truth. He’d heard Maggie’s confession, saw the grim evidence of the baby’s body dug up, wrapped in a blanket sewn by his late Queen. A downy tuft of scarlet hair had still peeked out from the faded and stained fabric.

The doors to the audience hall burst open, and a handful of guards ran in and immediately began to barricade the entryway. Ingobert shook off his stupor and slowly stood, his brow furrowing at the sight before him.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asked as the arguments between nobility and council ceased.

“Your Majesty! The commoners - they’re revolting!” A guard breathlessly announced.

_”What?"_

"They want to see Her Highness, Princess Natalia! There's some kid running around with the Fon Master and Cato the Blazing starting rumors about Daath executing Princess Natalia for treason!" 

This was no mere peasant's revolt over low wages or small harvests; if something wasn't done soon they'd have an all-out civil war.

"Take Duchess Fabre to the vaults. Stay with her and see that she's well-protected - do not leave until I give the word.”

“Yes, sire!” a pair of guards saluted, making their way over to the distressed Duchess in lockstep.

“I am going _nowhere!”_ Susanne said as the guards stepped up to escort her. She slapped their hands away, and they reached to bring her away by force. “Unhand me this instant!” she snarled, yanking her sleeve free from a guard’s grasp.

“This is an _order_ , Susanne!” Ingobert said, his temper starting to fray at his sister’s defiance.

“I _will not go!”_ the Duchess insisted, shoving a guard squarely in the center of his breastplate with all her strength and sending him tumbling down the stairs of the dais.

“Ingobert, enough! Mohs has poisoned your mind—you’re willing to let your _daughter_ die for—“

“That girl is _not_ my daughter,” Ingobert said, glaring at his younger sister, “Duke Fabre I suggest you _restrain_ your wife—“

Crymson moved to stand next to Susanne, taking hold of her hand and giving it a tender squeeze.

“Seventeen years ago I failed my son; I will not fail my niece.”

A deep red flush colored the king's skin.

"How dare you disobey me like this!" he snarled.

"You are abandoning your daughter - the heir to the throne!" Susanne said, squaring her shoulders and raising her chin, "Even if she is not your flesh and blood, you raised her as your own for all these years - at least, when you cared to. How can you stand by and allow Daath to take her life when you know the pain of losing a child? How can you throw her away when you've been given a second chance to be a father?!”

"Silence!" Ingobert roared, "Or would you stand trial for treason, too?"

“You don’t deserve her!” Susanne snapped as tears welled in her eyes, “I would have given _anything_ to have my son back. How _dare_ you do this to Natalia?!”

Ingobert grit his teeth, but before he could respond, the Grand Maestro stepped forward out of the shadows.

“Once again, the Duchess allows her emotion to cloud her judgment. Such a shameful display, shouting at your Sovereign - a disgrace, but hardly unexpected.”

“Grand Maestro,” Ingobert said, relaxing a little with his most trusted advisor at hand, “What of the usurper?”

“Found guilty and awaiting judgment, Your Majesty. Hanging is, of course, the sentence for destroying common traitors, but we shall need to consult the Score in case Lorelei would have her beheaded - or, considering her heresy, perhaps Lorelei has something much more... punitive planned for her.”

Ingobert did his best to hide a grimace. That girl _wasn’t_ his daughter, what did he care how she was disposed of? But… No, he had no room to doubt. This was for the best, for Kimlasca’s future.

—

The castle doors were breached, allowing a flood of Baticul’s citizens to spill into the halls towards the audience hall where the King lay barricaded in. The guards stood their ground, futilly attempting to repel the mob.

The audience hall was not Luke’s destination, however. He led the others into the eastern wing, disappearing down a long hallway and up a flight of stairs along a path he’d traced hundreds of times within the Score. The further away they moved from the violence, the clearer he could hear it: Natalia’s fonon frequency, still ringing clearly. _She was still alive. They just had to reach her!_

The two guards who normally stood outside the princess’s rooms had been replaced by Oracle Knights. The pair barely had time to raise their weapons and order the oncoming group to halt before Jade and Guy had incapacitated them.

"Get back!" came a hoarse scream from beyond the doors, followed by the sound of metal on metal.

Luke forced his legs, already pushed to their limit, to somehow move faster. The burn of his overworked muscles was drowned out by a single thought: Natalia.

Tear began her hymn, and the sounds of the conflict within the princess's chambers began to slow and falter. Just as Luke threw open the heavy doors, Natalia's executioner fell to the floor in a deep sleep.

The princess herself had one leg up on the window sill, shards of glass and ceramic scattered all around her. In one hand she clutched an iron fire poker - her knuckles white as she prepared to parry any incoming blades - and her hazel eyes were wild. As the group burst in she pushed herself up and back towards the smashed window, preparing to make her escape by scaling down the castle walls.

“Natalia!” Luke called out as he raced forward, only to jump back at barely the last second to avoid being clobbered by her improvised weapon, “H-HEY! Natalia!”

Guy grabbed Luke by the shoulder to pull him back. 

“Give her some space, Luke,” he admonished him gently, “She’s scared. Just give her a minute.”

“Natalia? We’re here now,” Tear cautiously approached, her hands raised in a placating gesture as though Natalia were a wild animal caught in a trap, “It’s alright; you’re safe. We’re not going to let anyone else hurt you.”

“T-Tear...?"

"Shhh... don't strain your voice. Just come down and we can get out of here." 

Hesitantly, the princess lowered the fire poker and stepped back down onto the carpeted floor. Tear lowered her hand and held it out for Natalia to take. 

"How's your ankle? Do you think you can run just a little more?" 

Natalia clenched her jaw and nodded. Every nerve in her body felt electrified, as long as she didn’t think about it, any pain she was in didn’t seem to register; she wasn't sure how long it would last, though, which meant they needed to move fast. 

"Good. You can rest once we're out of the city, alright? It shouldn’t take long. Just hold on to my hand; I'll make sure you don't get left behind.”

Out of every possible emotion, Luke didn’t expect to feel _jealous_ upon rescuing Natalia. And yet, as he stood there, watching Tear get to be the one to calm Natalia down, take her hand, and lead her away from the broken window, he felt a sharp pang in his chest.

He pushed the petty emotion aside. _All_ that mattered was that they got to Natalia in time and that she was safe. Now, they just had to make it back _out_ of the city.

As Tear continued to soothe and reassure the distraught princess, Luke carefully looked around her bedchambers. No poisoned wine, Goldberg was nowhere to be seen, and there certainly hadn’t been an uprising in the background.

“This is completely different from the Death Score I predicted…” 

"An interesting observation, but perhaps one best pondered elsewhere," Jade said, "Come along now, children; before Tear's hymn wears off." 

“Where...?" Natalia started. 

"Away from here," Guy answered as he let go of Luke now that it was clear the princess was back in her right mind.

"But...!" Natalia protested. How could she leave her city like this? How could she leave without speaking to her father? Without knowing if her aunt and her citizens were safe?

A loud bang caused Luke to wince, and he turned, trying to keep an ear out for what exactly that was.

“Luke?” Guy became concerned, “What is it?”

“Didn’t you hear that?” Luke asked, but the others either shook their heads or gave him blank stares in response, “How? That was so _loud!”_

“What? What’d you hear?” Guy asked.

“A bang of some kind. Now—there’s shouting. Fighting. I think the citizens breached the audience hall!”

“Well what exactly did you expect when you whipped up the entire population into a frenzy with that speech of yours?” Jade asked, “Enough dawdling, let’s g—”

Natalia surged forward, causing Tear to stumble along in her wake. 

"Natalia, no!" she said, trying to pull the princess back, "We have to leave immediately. I know you're concerned, but—“

"I have to," Natalia managed, not looking back as she pressed onwards in the direction of the main hall, slowly dragging Tear behind her. She had to show the citizens she was still alive or else who knew what would happen? She couldn't let them bring harm to her family, nor would she let this become a reason for the nobility to take arms against the people of Baticul!

Tear braced herself while maintaining her grip on the princess's hand. Her injured arm flared with pain, but she refused to let go as Natalia pushed on like an ox in front of a plow. 

“Natalia!” Luke moved, putting himself in front of her before reaching out and grabbing her shoulders. “Stop! I know you’re concerned, but Uncle just tried to have you _executed!_ Please, _please_ think of yourself and let’s get out of here before we miss our chance!” he begged.

“Luke is right, Princess,” Jade said, “The citizens of Baticul are fighting for your freedom and wellbeing; it will be a waste of their sacrifices if we squander our opportunity. While they keep the guard engaged, we can easily slip out undetected—“

“Colonel!” Natalia’s voice cracked as she tried to push Luke’s hands off of her, “My people are _not_ cannon fodder!”

"She's right," Guy said, stepping forward, "There's no need for sacrifices if the violence can be quelled. And with so many citizens in the audience hall, the guards will be far too outnumbered to present a real threat.”

"Please, Luke," Natalia said, meeting his eyes, "I'm... so worried…"

Luke bit his bottom lip—he never could say no to her whenever she gave him that look. And despite _everything_ telling him that this was a mistake, that they needed to go _right now_ or else, a part of him was also concerned about the people of Baticul.

“…Let’s go,” Luke said, gently taking Natalia’s hand.

—

Baticuls citizens crowded into the audience hall, filling almost every inch of space with only a few rows of guards separating them from the cowering nobility, council, Grand Maestro, and the king.

“Release the princess at once!”

“How could you do this to her?!”

“Where is our princess?!”

They chanted, roared, pushing ever closer, despite the weapons drawn by the royal guards.

“This is madness!” Mohs shook his head in disbelief, “Your Majesty, these cretins would allow a _commoner_ to sit on the throne? A throne _chosen by Lorelei?”_

“We don’t give a _damn_ about royal blood!” a man shouted, “Princess Natalia gave us jobs!”

“She opened the new hospital after disease ravaged our city!” a woman called out.

“She gave me enough gald to send my children to school!”

“She went to Chesedonia and helped our troops!” a woman clutching a toddler to her chest cried, “My husband would have died without her there!”

One of the city guards had joined the crowd, and he turned to face the king.

“She made sure to find out what happened to my little brother, who _died_ in a pointless war _you_ started!” 

Ingobert looked on at the crowd, his face alternating between paling in fear and going red with rage. These commoners would stand against him - their _king_ \- because a girl pretending to be his daughter had done a few kind things for them?

Over the top of the crowd, he saw the audience hall doors open once more.

"Excuse us! Please, let us through!" a young voice called, "Please, allow us through to King Ingobert and Grand Maestro Mohs; as Fon Master of the Order of Lorelei, I ask that you please make way for Her Highness, Princess Natalia.”

The sea of people parted almost immediately, many in the crowd bowing down to their princess and the Fon Master, or cheering loudly that she was unharmed. Soon enough she stood before the guards protecting the royals, eyes raised toward the man who had been her father for all these years.

Ingobrert ground his teeth as he shot an angry look over in Mohs’ direction.

“I thought you had this under control,” he spat, and Mohs nervously chuckled.

“Now, now, this is only a minor setback. She’ll be dealt with accordin—“

“Shut your mouth, Mohs!” Luke yelled as he stepped in front of Natalia.

“You… Luke?!” Mohs looked bewildered. “So you _are_ still alive! And—What on Gnome’s green earth have you _done_ to your—Never mind! You and that lying wench both need to be put down for the sake of Yulia’s Score!”

"Is... is that the Scion of Lorelei?”

"Did the Grand Maestro just say that he intends to kill the princess and the Scion?”

"Did you hear what he said?" 

The whispers went through the crowd, making the hairs on the back of Ingobert's neck stand up.

"Mohs, be quiet," Ion said, his green eyes hard as he leveled a glare at the Grand Maestro, "Your zealotry has caused the death and suffering of thousands, and you have directly opposed both myself and His Holiness to achieve your own ends. Guards, see to it that the Grand Maestro does not leave this hall without my approval; he will be removed to Daath to stand trial.”

"I am merely following the Score!" Mohs protested, "That this girl and Luke have not yet perished is heresy! They are condemning all of Auldrant to ruin!”

"You say that and yet Her Highness stands with the Scion of Lorelei; how can their actions be heresy when Luke himself is Lorelei's chosen?”

Another wave of murmurs went through the crowd as the citizens mulled this information over. 

“Uncle, this is insanity!” Luke said, “Why does it matter whether or not Natalia is of royal blood? Do you honestly believe that Natalia _made the choice_ to be switched at birth? That she was somehow in on it?”

“She _fled_ to Malkuth and sought asylum, that alone speaks volumes of her guilt—“

_“I_ took her to Malkuth!” Luke snapped, “I took her there to seek asylum because I foresaw _exactly_ what you would have done to her.”

“He _admits_ to tampering with a Death Score!” Mohs yelled, “Scion or not, such _blatant_ disregard for the sanctity of the Score is abhorrent! The _least_ you can do is surrender here and now and allow us to put things back on track—“

Susanne broke free from her husband’s grasp and punched Mohs square in the jaw. The Grand Maestro fell back, whimpering in pain as he cradled his quickly-swelling cheek.

"You bastard!" the Duchess shrieked as Crymson caught hold of her again, "You stole our son just to _sacrifice_ him?!”

"Enough!" Natalia said, forcing the word out as loudly and clearly as she could. She pushed past Luke, and a guard stepped up out of the crowd, offering her his arm.

"Your Highness," he said, "You may not remember me, but several years ago—" 

"David Wilson," Natalia rasped with a small smile, "It's... good to see you.”

David blushed slightly and nodded. 

"And you, Your Highness. If you are going to step into the fray, please allow me the honor of escorting you.”

“What is the meaning of this!?” Ingobert asked in a growing panic, looking to his guards as they parted to allow Natalia and David through. How _dare_ they shirk their sacred duty to protect him! 

“Uncle, look around you,” Luke gestured to the audience hall behind him, to the citizens of Baticul who stood united and firm, unwavering in their loyalty to Natalia. “Please, _please_ do the right thing—“

“Your Majesty, _do not_ give in to the petty demands of common rabble!” Mohs insisted, slinking over to his side away from Susanne. He turned his sights to Luke and narrowed his beady eyes.

“And you, you should have died in Akzeriuth, your words mean _nothing!”_

“Shut up, Mohs!”

Luke’s eyes flashed gold, and every noise in the hall stopped. Mohs' mouth moved soundlessly, leaving him gaping like a fish. In the silence, Natalia walked up the steps of the dias, accompanied by David. Upon reaching Ingobert, she knelt at his feet and bowed her head.

"Your Majesty," she said, her words carrying unnaturally well, "I cannot ever... replace the daughter you lost. I would not... even try. But I... I was brought to you and the late queen... with no malicious intent, nor was it... by my own choice. All I have ever wanted was what I have... learned from you and the rest of the royal family; to bring peace and prosperity to Kimlasca-Lanvaldear... and to the rest of the world as well.”

Ingobert looked down at the girl kneeling before him, the picture of grace and humility. Her words sounded like they could have been scripted, but each one rang genuine in tone - Olivia had had the same talent…

"I... will not beg you for my life," Natalia continued, "But I will... beg you to see reason. The Score has... foretold many things that... have not come to pass as written - or at all. There are other... avenues to prosperity.”

She looked up, tearfully meeting the king's gaze.

"Please; for the sake of Kimlasca... look beyond the Score... with your own eyes.”

Ingobert stammered, his gaze transfixed on Natalia before him. How…? How could someone of ignoble birth - _a teenaged girl,_ no less - command this much attention and respect? The royal bloodline was sacred, Luke’s birth alone confirmed that Lorelei had favored Kimlasca-Lanvaldear. She had no divine right, no claim, and yet these people flocked to her side?

He looked out, seeing the hundreds of angry, determined faces staring right back at him, waiting impatiently for his answer. Ingobert _wanted_ to answer, to break away out of this unbearably deafening silence, but his pride would not let him. To admit he was wrong? In front of so _many_ people who had _no business_ being inside the castle in the first place?

He gripped the armrests of his throne tightly, and turned his head away.

The silence was broken as a chorus of boos cascaded from the crowd, followed quickly by a chant that called for the King to be dethroned.

Watching Ingobert turn away from her, Natalia's head bowed once more in defeat. What else could she do? The king was stubborn enough, and if he would not acknowledge her she had no leverage at all to sway him. As the noise from the crowd began to grow, however, she wiped any trace of tears from her cheeks and rose to her feet. 

"I expected... so much better from you," she said softly, watching Ingobert flinch just the slightest bit, "I always have. But this... is the last time... I will allow myself to be... disappointed by you.”

Turning, she looked out at her people - all of them here in support of her, despite the fact that she was not of royal blood. Despite the fact she was a heretic.

"Guards," she said without shifting her gaze, "Please escort the king from the hall. Keep him safe and under surveillance... I will speak to him again privately.”

"Yes, Your Highness!" the guards said with a salute. 

There was a scuffle as they wrested Ingobert off of the throne, and he was escorted away to his private chambers. Natalia's throat was tight, the sound of her racing heartbeat in her ears almost enough to drown out the sounds of the assembled crowd.

Taking a deep breath, she took a practiced step back. In one fluid movement, she took her place on the ancient throne of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear.

The chorus of cheers had been deafening as the gathered mob erupted into applause. The King and the Grand Maestro’s plot had been foiled, their princess was now _safe,_ and sitting on the throne where she so clearly belonged. 

_“LONG LIVE THE QUEEN! LONG LIVE QUEEN NATALIA! LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!”_

As the people celebrated their victory, Luke looked up at Natalia. The people may be joyous, but this was _far_ from a happy occasion for anyone in the royal family. She was gripping the armrests tightly, and her complexion was ashen. Looking past her, he noticed a man trying to slip away in all the chaos.

“Guards,” Luke spoke up as he pointed to Mohs, “I believe Fon Master Ion issued an order to _make sure_ the Grand Maestro does not leave _without_ his permission.”

“Y-Yes, Your Holiness!” David sputtered in embarrassment as he and a few others stopped their own celebrations and grabbed the Grand Maestro.

“Unhand me you heathens!” Mohs hissed, “You heretics! You’re spurning the Score! Kimlasca shall walk the path of ruin now!”

“Take him to the dungeons,” Ion instructed, “He’ll have plenty of time to think about his actions before his trial in Daath.”

“Your Eminence,” the guards nodded, hauling Mohs out of the audience hall to another chorus of loud cheers.

After the uproarious celebrations, it took only a few more words from the Fon Master and Luke to disperse the citizens of Baticul from within the castle. There would be a coronation later, giving them all something to talk about and look forward to. When at last the audience hall had been emptied out, Duke Fabre looked at his wife with concern.

"Susanne..." Crymson said softly, feeling as though he'd been holding his breath for hours, "Your hand - we should have the doctors take a look at it. You could have broken something." 

"Later," the duchess said, waving her husband off, "Luke and Natalia are home now, and safe. I... I need to hold them.”

Luke couldn’t even get a word out before he felt his mother’s arms wrap tightly around him, pulling him in for a sorely needed embrace. He froze at first, but quickly returned the gesture.

“M-Mother…” 

“Do you have _any_ idea how worried I was when you and Natalia both vanished from Daath?” she asked, her voice quivering, “I… Is what you said true? Is… is what Mohs said true?”

Luke looked down to see his mother’s tear-filled eyes and felt his heart ache. The needless suffering he put her through… Where to even begin apologizing to her for it?

“Yes… During the annual Score reading I foresaw Natalia’s Death Score. I… couldn’t let that happen, so I brought her with me to Grand Chokmah…”

“What about Akzeriuth?” Duke Fabre asked as he moved closer.

“That… that was my Death Score…” Luke admitted quietly, quickly shifting his gaze over to Natalia.

"But you're alive," Susanne said with a happy sigh of relief, hugging her son just a little tighter, "Oh, Luke. I'm so happy you're finally home…"

"Yes..." Crymson murmured, crossing his arms and keeping his breathing level. What such a disruption of the Score meant for all of them, he had no idea, but he couldn't deny that he was glad to see his son back in the Capital of Light.

Natalia gave Luke a tight smile when he caught her eye. She was happy for him and her aunt and uncle. She truly was. But seeing their reunion was even more of a bittersweet pill than watching Susanne fawn over Luke in their childhood.

Ultimately this _was_ a good thing. Mohs would be tried for his crimes and warmongering, unable to inflict further damage on Auldrant by clinging to the Score. And now there was a _very_ real chance for peace between Kimlasca and Malkuth, just as Peony had said back when they were granted asylum.

So then… Why did this feel like such a hollow victory…?

“Enough of that,” Susanne stepped over to Natalia, grabbing her by the hand and pulling her off the throne into the hug with Luke, “There'll be time for moping later. For now, just for this one moment, let us simply rejoice.”

Natalia allowed herself to relax into her aunt’s embrace, numbly accepting the affection she had always craved. Surely, she could take just a few moments for this before facing what she had done...?

“My Lady, if you hug them any tighter their ribs might break,” Guy said, only half-joking. He tried not to think of how close Duke Fabre was, how easy it would be to run him through here and now while he was still stunned from what had just occurred.

“So Natalia’s Queen now, right?” Anise piped up as she rushed over to Luke’s side, and Natalia carefully pulled herself away from him and Susanne to allow the girl some room.

“Luke! It’s rude to not introduce your parents!” Anise added, tugging on Luke’s coat.

“Who’s this?” Crymson furrowed his brow at the boisterous girl.

“Uh, right. Mother, Father, this is Anise, my little sister,” Luke gestured to Anise, “From the Cathedral.”

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Anise," Susanne said with a gentle smile, "I hope you didn't give Luke too much trouble in Daath?”

"Not too much," Anise said, "Just enough.”

"It's a struggle being the little sister, isn't it?" Susanne laughed, "Come along, all of you. We'll find you rooms and you can rest and get cleaned up. It looks like you've had some difficult days.”

"My Lady, perhaps you should see a doctor first about your hand," Guy said, glancing at Susanne's injured fist, "It looks quite painful…"

Susanne looked down at her hand, noting how reddened her knuckles were. It wasn’t mere discoloration, a portion of her skin had split, and blood had caked over the wound. Now that the excitement had worn off, her entire hand throbbed.

“Oh, goodness… Yes it is,” she said, starting to feel a bit faint. That had to have been the most she’d physically exerted herself in quite some time, not that she would take any of her actions back.

“H-hey! Careful,” Luke moved to help steady his mother on her feet, “Let’s get you back to the manor so you can lie down—I don’t want you getting sick again.”

“I just need a brief rest,” Susanne waved him off as she moved to take a seat on one of the thrones. “You’re as bad as your father, treating me as if I’m some sort of glass doll.”

“I’ve _seen_ how sick you get,” Luke argued as he rested his hands on his hips, “Please tell me you at least took your medicine today.”

“I did. Now stop worrying over me, before you make yourself ill,” Susanne said, delicately blotting a bead of sweat from her face.

Tear stepped up the dais, bowing her head to Susanne.

“My Lady, please, allow me,” she offered, extending her hand out towards the Duchess. Susanne accepted, resting her hand in Tear’s, and Tear closed her eyes as she started to sing her healing hymn.

Once the hymn ended and Susanne's hand was back to normal, she gave Tear's fingers a quick squeeze.

"Thank you very much. You're a very talented young lady," she said, "I believe we met briefly in Daath; Tear, wasn't it?”

"Yes, Ma'am," Tear said with a nod, "I was sent to retrieve L- His Holiness and Her Highness from Grand Chokmah before... well, before certain things were revealed.”

"Your efforts do not go unappreciated.”

On the edge of the audience hall, Jade watched the others making introductions and small talk. Without looking up, he held out an arm to bar the door beside him.

"Now now, Your Highness - or should I say _'Your Majesty'?_ It's rude to sneak off without saying your goodbyes. Is that how the new queen of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear behaves?”

Natalia glared at the Malkuth colonel.

"Don't bother trying to answer; you've already done enough damage to your body as it is today," Jade said, allowing his voice to carry just a little further.

Luke’s ears pricked and he looked around, suddenly realizing that Natalia was _not_ where she’d been standing before and instead was on the opposite side of the audience hall, with Jade blocking her escape.

Immediately guilt stabbed at him—he hadn’t intended to ignore her or make her feel excluded in any way. His mother was injured, but Natalia also needed comforting and reassurance; she was just disowned in front of the entire city and had to overthrow her father. Who wouldn’t be upset by such a turn of events?

“Natalia, wai—“ he started to call out, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“She wants to be alone, so let her be alone,” Guy said.

“But—“

“She just needs some space to process everything, without other people to make her feel like she has to present some kind of perfect image, y’know? Besides, you can always go check on her later. In person or otherwise.”

Luke bit his cheek as he watched Jade finally move, allowing Natalia out of the audience hall where she disappeared from sight. He’d go and talk to her as soon as he could; they had a lot to catch up on.

It would be a little while, though. Susanne was eager to find them all room in the castle and make sure they were well-fed and rested. Several times, she began musing about having Luke stay in the manor, but Crymson just as quickly reminded her that Luke would probably want to stay close to his friends and Natalia in the castle.

"Besides, his room isn't... ready," he added, "There will be time to have him in the manor later." 

—

The next day saw the entire royal family assembling in the king's quarters, where he'd been kept under locked guard per Natalia's orders. The princess herself was back in tightly laced Kimlascan clothing, and she gave Luke only the most fleeting of smiles when their eyes met as though the expression was too exhausting to hold for any longer.

"Natalia," Crymson said, reaching to take his niece's hand, "Are you certain you want to do this yourself?" 

"It is my responsibility, Uncle," Natalia said, her voice still quite low and hoarse but better than it had been the day before, "I will not run from it. Thank you, for your support.”

Crymson drew in a slow breath before nodding.

“If you’re sure.”

The guards blocking the doors stepped aside, allowing the royal family access to the restricted chambers. The noise of the doors opening alerted the disgraced King within to their approach, and he immediately stood from his plush armchair as he tossed the book he’d been reading aside.

“Finally!” he huffed in irritation as he strode towards the doorway, “Do you have any idea how long I’ve had to wa—“

Ingobert came to an abrupt halt upon seeing Natalia standing in his way, dressed formally with a stern yet solemn expression on her face.

“What are you doing here?” Ingobert took a step back, his eyes darting from Natalia to his sister behind her, then to Crymson and finally Luke next to him, “What is the meaning of this?”

“A talk, dear brother,” Susanne said as she moved into the room, “A sorely needed, _very_ overdue talk.”

"What's there to talk about?" Ingobert snapped, "The two of you have chosen to disgrace yourselves, to disgrace the entire royal line, by choosing to support that... that _imposter_ over _me_ \- the rightful king of Kimlasca!" 

"You are the one who has disgraced the royal line," Natalia said as she slowly moved towards Ingobert, her face a perfect mask of neutrality, "You have thrown your country into ruinous wars, you have failed to provide for your people, you—“

A heavy hand collided with her cheek, cutting Natalia off and making stars burst in her vision. 

"I will not be lectured by _you_ , you scheming little guttersnipe!" Ingobert hissed, "Look at you, still pretending to be a princess!”

Luke saw red. He hadn’t even realized he had started moving, his fist raised to strike when a firm hand caught his arm and snapped him out of his reverie.

“Let go!” Luke tried to yank himself free from his father’s ironclad grip.

“Luke, no. Violence like that won’t solve this,” he said.

“You’re just going to let him get away with that?!”

“Of course not, but we won’t get anywhere if we behave like animals and get into a fist fight,” Crymson gave Luke’s arm a slight twist, causing just a twinge of pain as a warning before he let go.

Natalia gingerly touched her stinging cheek with the tips of her fingers, trying to silence the voice in the back of her mind telling her to walk away and leave the rest of this to her uncle. Ingobert's gaze had shifted to Crymson, the slightest hint of terror in his eyes.

"...Regardless," Natalia said slowly, checking to make sure her voice didn't shake as she continued, "The people of Kimlasca no longer want you as their king. As it stands, you have a few options; admit your loss and leave peacefully under the crown's protection... or refuse and pay the price.”

"What price?" Ingobert asked, "You can't seriously think I wouldn't see your bluff for what it is?" 

"The citizens of Baticul are outraged, and it's only a matter of time before word spreads to the rest of the country. I think we all know a civil war will be at hand within the year if a peaceful arrangement cannot be reached," Natalia said, "I am offering you the opportunity to concede power with dignity and continue living, although the argument could be made that it would be safer to have you executed.”

Ingobert’s composure began to slip, his face growing several shades of red.

“You _dare_ threaten me? After _everything_ I’ve given you—everything you had _no right_ to? Food, shelter, clothing—“

“The _bare minimum_ a parent should give,” Luke snapped as he stepped over to Natalia’s side. “Uncle, what _happened_ to you? You can’t really believe that all those years - all the time you’ve raised Natalia as your own daughter - you can’t really believe that doesn’t matter. Don’t you remember our visits in Daath where we all spent time together, enjoying tea and cakes as a family? Who cares if Natalia doesn’t have royal blood?”

“If she takes the throne, that is the _end_ of the Kimlasca-Lanvaldear bloodline, the bloodline blessed by Lorelei,” Ingobert protested, and Luke scoffed.

“If that really matters to you then you wouldn’t have let Daath kidnap me and strip me of my titles.” Luke frowned as he crossed his arms.

"That was - it was written in the Score!”

“No, it was an order by Evenos. Natalia being brought to the castle _was_ written in the Score," Susanne said, "Ingobert, please. You keep harping on about how the bloodline was blessed by Lorelei, when Luke stands before you in support of Natalia!" 

Ingobert hissed softly through his teeth.

"Ungrateful, selfish child," he spat, "Fine. Take the throne. You'll be queen to a kingdom of ashes before the year is out."

“To be clear,” Crymson spoke, “You’re officially abdicating the throne for Natalia to rule?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself,” Ingobert glared as he shook his head.

“Then this meeting is over. Come, Natalia,” Crymson placed a hand on her back as he gently guided her back toward the doorway, “There’s work to be done, and we have many things to discuss before any decisions can be made.”

Susanne took in a slow breath, using her hands to smooth out her dress as she looked at her brother. 

“Words cannot even begin to express my disappointment in you, Ingobert. You’ve failed Olivia’s memory.”

Luke waited for his mother to leave, ensuring she, his father, and Natalia were all steadily out of earshot before he faced his uncle. 

Ingobert’s face twisted in annoyance.

“What? Are you going to tell me you’re disappointed in me, too—“

Luke’s fist collided with Ingobert’s face and the former king staggered backward, lifting a hand to his bleeding nose in shock.

“Don’t _ever_ lay a hand on my beloved again.” 

Ingobert could only stammer, words failing to form as Luke left, and the doors locked him in once more

—

The halls were filled with a swarm of nobles that trailed after Crymson and Natalia, each trying to get into the future queen's good graces. Some of them went so far as to tug at her dress, or grab for her arm. Neither Crymson nor Natalia acknowledged the opportunists, but Crymson's grip on his niece tightened ever so slightly. 

"She'll need a husband!" one of the nobles protested, only to be ignored and fall by the wayside, "She'll need someone to show her her place," he added under his breath. 

"She'll learn soon enough," another noble said, clapping the first on the shoulder, "Girls like that always turn so desperate right around her age. It won't be long before she'll take anyone who comes her way." 

"Which means _you'll_ need to get in line pretty early," his friend retorted, "No more sleeping in.”

"Oh, come now; you know I never _wait in line_ for goods to come to me. You have to seize them right off the production line.”

“A vulture, through and through.”

“Pft,” he scoffed, waving a dismissive hand, “Vultures _wait_ for their prey to die. I’d say I’m more of a liger.”

Luke had been hurrying to catch up with the rest of his family when the tail end of the conversation caught his ear. His pace slowed to a stop, and he looked on at the nobles with a disgusted curiosity which earned him several sneers.

“What the hell are you looking at?” One of the nobles, a short, rotund, balding man of about fifty, asked Luke.

“Tch, seems like the guards forgot to sweep this one out with the rest of the rabble yesterday,” a tall, thinner nobleman scoffed as he fanned himself, “Honestly, they’ll let anyone walk through these days.”

“Scram, kid, this conversation’s got nothing to do with the likes of you.”

Luke stared at them for a moment longer, his knuckles still stinging. His blood felt hot, like it was on fire. Natalia was a _person,_ not a… commodity or some kind of _prey_ for them to prowl over. The way they spoke made him feel sick, but he recalled his father’s words: this was not something that could be resolved with violence.

He simply turned and continued to walk off down the hallway as the nobles snickered to themselves, and made a mental note to revisit this moment through the Score later.

—

Crymson led Natalia to a set of temporary quarters, guiding her to a plush sofa. 

"Sit," he said, pulling a footstool over to rest her ankle on, "Let me see your face.”

"It's fine, Uncle. I can barely feel it now.”

"Don't lie to me. Ingobert may not be trained in combat, but he's a strong man," the Duke said, reaching to gently prod Natalia’s bruised cheek. She sucked in a breath through her teeth and tried not to wince as he continued to assess the injury, before ordering a maid to fetch a cold compress and tea for the princess.

"I have some things to take care of, but I'll be back in a few hours. I expect you to have rested and eaten something by then.”

"Uncle, I'm not a child.”

"In the eyes of the law you are. And in the eyes of the law, Susanne and I are your guardians in the event your father is unable to care for you - which he clearly is. Just do as I say; you've had a difficult journey so far, and it's unlikely to become easier any time soon."

Her grimace caused him to hesitate. It was a bitter reality, a harsh truth to accept. Natalia may have been preparing for this role all her life, but the way she had to claw power away from her father would have the nobles doubting her every move. The road ahead of her will prove to be immensely more difficult… Hopefully he and Susanne would be able to do what they could to make the transition as smooth as possible.

“I’ll return later. Rest,” he instructed, gently patting the top of her head before turning to leave.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door and a maid stepped into the room with a tray. She set it down on a nearby table, picking up the compress next to the tea set and gently handing it over to Natalia.

“Your Highness,” she bowed her head, turning back to the tray as she started to pour Nataliar a cup of tea, “Forgive me, I know it is out of place to speak so openly, but… I heard what happened yesterday; what His Majesty said, and did.”

She grabbed a couple of sweets, setting them on a small plate next to the teacup.

“You will always be Kimlasca’s Princess, the Light of Lanvaldear, and I am proud to serve you.”

Setting the tea and sweets in front of the princess, the maid curtsied deeply. Natalia could only stare, dazedly holding the compress to her cheek. 

"I... Thank you," she murmured, "Please, there's no need for such formality.”

Would she and this girl have been friends if the real princess had lived? Would they have spent their days laughing and gossiping while doing the tasks assigned to them?

"I hope that I shall continue to make you, and all of Kimlasca proud.”

The maid smiled warmly, clutching the empty tray to her chest. “My brother-in-law survived Chesedonia because of your efforts, and my nephew gets to grow up with a father. We are forever in your debt, and I’ve not a doubt in my mind that you’ll be able to achieve peace with Malkuth.”

“Pardon the intrusion,” Luke said in the doorway, quietly stepping into the room. The maid curtsied to him before excusing herself, allowing the Scion and the new queen their privacy.

Luke sat next to Natalia, his expression full of concern as he eyed her swelling cheek beneath the cold compress she held.

“Are you alright…?” he asked. It was a stupid question - of course she wasn’t alright. After everything that happened it’d be a miracle if she were.

"I'm fine," Natalia said, quickly setting the compress aside and straightening her posture a little more, "I... I'm sorry you had to see all of that with... With His Majesty.”

She clasped her hands together to hide the way they had begun to tremble, her words suddenly coming too fast. 

"It's good to see you, though. Did you find anything in Belkend? We can probably get access to all the records now that we're in Baticul. And your hair! Why did you dye it? Is it permanent?"

Those last two questions got a wry chuckle out of Luke. Of course out of everything happening she chose to focus on his hair.

“It’s permanent, yeah, but you know how quickly my hair grows; I’ll be back to red in a few months,” he said, “Guy helped me dye it in Sheridan because people kept recognizing me. It’s hard to maintain a low profile when everyone around you starts bowing down and praying in the middle of the street.”

He shook his head as he crossed his arms, resting one knee over the other.

“Belkend was a bit of a bust - we couldn’t find anything useful in the lab itself, but we did get a lead to a place with hidden replica data. Then we ended up on this massive rescue mission that took us to Sherridan before we ended up in St. Binah for a bit.”

Luke's answers had only created more questions. As pressing as those questions were, however, Natalia's attention kept drifting back to the Scion's hair - the red hair she'd always coveted and longed to run her fingers through! She understood his reasoning on a certain level, but still! 

"Couldn't you have done something else?!" She demanded, rising to her feet, "How could you do that?"

“What are you getting so upset over?” Luke moved to stand up himself, “I _did_ try other methods. I’ve been wearing hoods since we both fled to Grand Chokmah, remember? Sheridan was just so damn hot and the Albiore blew my hood off and I was just sick of it. Besides, most of the people in the castle don’t even know who I am and it’s thrilling being so anonymous.”

Thoughts of those nobles from earlier flashed in his mind, and his expression fell a bit as he lowered his gaze to the floor.

“Which, uh… as a result, people run their mouths around me now. Those nobles in the hall? I overheard what they said about you… They thought I was a commoner, so—”

"Of course they did!" Natalia said, wiping furious tears from her cheeks with the heels of her hands, "What did they say this time? Something about my luscious, child-bearing hips? What do I sound like in bed? What a horrible, shrill, harpy I am and what they plan to do about it?" 

Luke startled backwards, taken completely off guard. Oh that was the wrong thing to say, that was _completely_ the wrong thing to say. He should have learned by now to keep his mouth shut about this—the last time he wrote to her about what stuffy old men had to say a war started. Yulia, he was such an idiot.

He wrapped his arms around her, allowing one hand to slip up and nestle her head against his shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered into her ear as he closed his eyes, “I shouldn’t have said that. You’ve got so much on your plate already, I didn’t need to add to it. I… I don’t know much about the world of nobility or politics, but I will always stand by your side and do my best to support you through everything.”

Natalia sobbed harder into Luke's shoulder. It was like removing the keystone of a building - everything came crashing down, and she was helpless to stop it.

"I'm sorry," she said, taking in gulps of air, "I'm sorry..." 

She was hopeless - weak and pathetic. A real princess wouldn't break down in tears like this! A real princess wouldn’t be bothered by nobles swarming to take her hand in marriage. Ingobert was right; she'd ruin the country in less than a year. She was never supposed to be a princess.

Luke pulled away ever so slightly, moving his hand to brush the tears away from her reddened eyes and cheeks.

“Shh,” he gently shushed, “You’ve nothing to apologize for. This has been the most stressful week of our lives. You’re still recovering from Akzeriuth, and yesterday was… a lot. Come on, let’s sit back down.”

He gently guided her back onto the sofa, propping her foot back up on the ottoman. When she was settled, he picked up the plate of tea cakes and offered them to her.

The princess sniffled and shook her head, swiping at her eyes again.

"I can't do this," she whispered hoarsely, "I can't... It's all wrong. Maybe if I were the real princess, it would be different; if I were the real princess, if I'd been born with the right hair, I could do this but I'm not her. I'm just... Just some handmaid's stupid daughter!”

“Hey, hey,” Luke set the plate of cakes aside and made a grab for her hands again, giving them a tender squeeze, “None of that, okay? Hair color doesn’t matter. I have red hair; do you honestly think I’d make for a better King? Even though I have no experience with government? I’d be a terrible ruler! You, Natalia, were raised for this. You’ve been doing this for as long as I can remember.”

He took in a slow breath.

“Back in the cathedral, in one of my dresser drawers, I’ve kept every single letter you’ve ever sent me. They’re records of everything you’ve done, bettering the lives of your citizens without expectation of anything in return. When I gave you my first Score reading and predicted that horrible illness that would sweep through Baticul, you fought tooth and nail to open a new hospital after you saw how ill-equipped Baticul was to handle it. You were _nine._

“The people of Baticul know how much you champion them. They don’t care about royal blood, or divine rule, or any other nonsense Uncle and Mohs like to spout. They care about results, and you’ve more than delivered. So please, _please,_ don’t doubt yourself, or put yourself down just because some stupid nobles think they’re better than you. They’re not.”

Natalia squeezed Luke's hands in return, focusing on their solid warmth and letting it ground her a little more. Slowly, her breathing began to even out. 

"I'm just so tired," she said, "Of all of it. There's always been gossip about my paternity because of my hair, and the noblemen have been talking about who's heir I'll be mother to for years now. It makes me feel sick; there are days I can't even look at myself in the mirror." 

She gave a quiet, bitter laugh. 

"Maybe that was why it took me so long to realize how you felt about me - you didn't look at my body like a thing to be used, so how could you possibly be interested in me?”

“Well, that first year or two I wasn’t all that fond of you considering you _kicked_ me,” Luke replied, watching as Natalia’s expression lightened ever so slightly, “Not that I didn’t deserve it. But… you were the only one to ever actually challenge me. You didn’t blindly bow down and worship me like everyone else. Of course I’m an idiot when it comes to talking to people, especially about feelings, so I kept screwing things up with you over and over. I _still_ haven’t been able to properly propose to you… not that I’m sure you could accept anyways now. My titles were stripped, after all.”

The princess seemed to recover some of her spark, even if her face was still blotchy and tear-stained.

"So they won't accept my titles because I lack royal blood, but they won't accept your royal blood without titles?" she said, wrinkling her nose, "Hypocrites. Luckily, it's easier to resolve the issue of your eligibility than it is mine." 

Natalia raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk playing on her lips. 

"That is... _If_ I choose to accept. As you said, you still haven't properly proposed.”

“True, you are free to refuse me,” Luke laughed, “But, I’ll be sure to make the proposal so perfect you wouldn’t even _dream_ of saying no. I was thinking a dozen white doves, a waterfall of rose petals, maybe the entire Black Dream circus for a special private performance?”

When Natalia giggled at his over-the-top suggestions, a small wave of relief washed over him. She was safe again, and going to be okay - despite everything around her. He reached out, cupping her cheek with his hand as he brushed his thumb over her soft skin.

“I love you, Natalia,” he whispered, “I always will. Don’t ever forget that.”

“I love you too, Luke.”

He closed the distance between them and pressed a kiss against her lips.


End file.
